Costa Rican Refried Rice & Beans

Recipe by Cook's Hideout

Cinco de Mayo (5th of May) is on Monday and I wanted to post a quick and easy recipe to make on that day. I found this recipe in Viva Vegan cookbook that fits the bill perfectly. If you have cooked rice and beans, then this recipe is a breeze to make. Each Latin American country has its own version of Rice and beans. In Costa Rica and Nicaragua, it is called Gallo Pinto -- which literally means 'painted rooster'. It is a delicious mix of precooked rice, beans that are refried with extra vegetables, herbs and spices. This dish...

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice (White or - cooked)
• 1 cup beans (Black or Red or Pink - cooked)
• 1 onion (- small, finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (- minced)
• 1 green Chili (- small, minced (optional))
• 1 red Pepper (- medium, seeded and finely diced (I left it out, since I didn't have any))
• ¼ tsp Bean Vegetable broth (Cooking liquid or)
• ½ tsp cumin (Ground)
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (Vegetarian)
• to taste Salt Pepper (&)
• 3 tbsps cilantro (- finely chopped)

Method

1. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 2tbsp olive oil and garlic over medium heat. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the onion, chili and bell pepper. Saute for 6~8 minutes or until the veggies are soft.
2. Stir in the rice and fry for 7~8 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Then add the ground cumin, beans, bean-cooking liquid, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir frequently and mash the beans into the rice with the back of the spoon.
4. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed but the rice is still moistm about 10~12 minutes. If the mixture looks too dry, then drizzle 1~2tbsp of additional liquid to get the desired consistency.
5. Stir in the chopped cilantro and remove from heat. Serve with hot sauce.

View the recipe instructions at Cook's Hideout