Gallo pinto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gallo pinto is a dish traditional to Nicaragua and Costa Rica consisting primarily of beans and rice. Beans are slowly cooked until the juice is almost consumed. Though the dish is known in both Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the two prepare them in a slightly different manner. Gallo pinto is eaten as a part of any meal.
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[edit] Name
The name gallo pinto means "spotted rooster". When the beans and rice are combined, the rice gets colored by the beans, and the mix results in a specked appearance. Nicaraguans traditionally prepare it with small red beans, while Costa Ricans usually use black beans.
[edit] Variations
The dish has several variations including the addition of grated coconut which is primarily prepared on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast, in Costa Rica's Limón Province, and surrounding areas. In some parts of Costa Rica many people serve gallo pinto with a fried egg on top.
There are other variations of this dish. One of them is known as Moros y Cristianos ("Moors and Christians") in Spain, but regarding the true nature of gallo pinto, it is believed that it came to be known through the African American immigrants who live on the Caribbean coasts of Nicaragua. They simply call it "rice and beans" and prepare it with coconut oil and other condiments. A similar dish called casamiento is prepared in El Salvador.
[edit] Origins
There is some controversy about the origins of this dish. Nicaraguans say it originated in their country, and brought to Costa Rica in the 1980s. Costa Ricans disagree, arguing that they ate gallo pinto long before that, and references to the dish can be found in Costa Rican literature since the 1920s.[citation needed] Regardless of its origin, the dish is an integral part of both Costa Rican and Nicaraguan culture. But different versions of the dish can be also encountered in many other countries like Panamá, Cuba (Moros y Cristianos if made with black beans, or arroz congri if with red beans); Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico (a variation with Gandul beans); Colombia (calentado paisa) and even as far as Peru (tacu tacu).
According to a Costa Rican legend, the name gallo pinto was coined around 1930 in San Sebastian, one of the southern neighborhoods of the capital, San José:
- For the celebration of the San Sebastian Day (January 20), a rich farmer of San Sebastian invited a lot of people to his home. He announced he would kill and prepare the spotted rooster (gallo pinto) that he had been feeding for a long time. So many people accepted his invitation that the rooster was insufficient to give everyone even a pinch of bird. The cooks, not having anything else to give to so many guests, decided as an emergency solution to prepare a big pot of mixed rice and beans. The following day, as most people felt deceived, they made fun of the incident, asking each other if they had tried the gallo pinto, even though they knew that probably the only thing they had eaten was rice and beans. Ever since then mixed rice and beans has been called gallo pinto. (Ref. La Nación, San José, Costa Rica, Sept. 5, 2003) .
[edit] Preparation
Gallo pinto is more of a tradition than a recipe. Its preparation is almost always ad hoc and approximate. These instructions describe how to prepare gallo pinto in a typical Nicaraguan fashion. It should be noted that many variations exist.
- A note about proportions
Gallo pinto contains more rice than beans. A 3:2 or even 2:1 rice:beans ratio is typical.
- Preparation of the beans
Boil red or black beans for 2–4 hours or until firm. Salt, garlic, and/or onion should be added to the water to taste. Drain, saving the juice aside.
- Preparation of the rice
Fry uncooked rice over medium-high heat with a very small amount of oil. Add onions and/or garlic, salt, and water. Cover and cook until rice is tender and all water is absorbed. Allow to cool to room temperature before mixing with beans (leftover rice is usually used).
- Mixing the two
Heat a small amount of oil in a pot. Add onions and/or garlic, and any other vegetables desired (it is not uncommon to add carrots); fry. Add beans and fry, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender. Add rice and mix well. Add bean juice until the rice is colored and speckled; mix well. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until flavors are well-blended and developed; the longer cooked, the better.
- Serving suggestions
Gallo pinto is delicious with a suitable combination of the following: sour cream, fried Nicaraguan cheese, fried platano, salads, eggs, grilled meats such as pork chops, fresh fish, beef, or chicken, corn tortillas, white cheese (often a local variety), coffee, cacao drink, natural orange juice, or pinol.
