Gallo Pinto
Gallo Pinto, a Costa Rican rice and beans dish that touches on human desire with the origin of spices while using the relationship between movement and cognition for teaching time.
Equipment
- Jar with Lid
- Learning Tower as needed
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow onion medium
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 cups Carolina Gold rice or any long-grain white rice
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt preferably Diamond Crystal
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup black beans dried or 2 15-ounce cans drained
- ¼ cup Lizano salsa or Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups water
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro stems removed, leaves chopped
- 2 limes or 2 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Soak the beans: Wash your hands with soap and water. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the beans needed for this Cuban black beans and rice. Place the beans in a mason jar or bowl and add enough water to cover the beans. Next, add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir. Soak the beans for 2-6 hours. We soak these large Ayocote Negro beans for 6 hours. Check periodically to make sure all of the beans are submerged. Add additional water as needed. If you're working with canned black beans, you can skip this step.
- Prep the ingredients: Wash your hands. Chop the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and cilantro using a child-friendly knife and cutting board.
- Wash the rice: At the sink, place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Add the rice to the strainer. Turn the water on. Let the bowl and strainer fill with cool water. Turn off the water and use your hand to stir the rice around. The water will become cloudy. Pick up the strainer and empty the bowl. Continue the process of filling the bowl and stirring the rice until the water is no longer cloudy. The number of times depends on the rice. When finished, pick up the strainer and shake off any excess water. Set the rice aside.
- Turn the stove on medium heat. Use a measuring spoon to measure the oil needed for the recipe. Add the oil to the pan. Add the chopped bell pepper and onion to the pan. Sauté for about 4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
- Add the washed rice to the pan. Use a measuring spoon to add the salt, cumin, and pepper to the pan. You can use a pepper mill or molcajete and tejolote or mortar and pestle to grind the pepper as needed. Give everything a stir to coat the rice. Cook the rice for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it turns golden.
- Once the rice is golden, add the drained black beans to the pan. Use a measuring cup to measure and pour the Lizano salsa (or Worcestershire sauce) and water into the pan.
- Give it a stir and turn the heat up. Bring the gallo pinto to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer for 25 minutes.
- You can use the time the gallo pinto is simmering to make the eggs if you'd like to serve fried or scrambled eggs on top. Turn off the stove when finished.
- When the rice and beans are fully cooked, remove from heat and turn off the stove. Let the rice steam while covered for 10 minutes. Serve gallo pinto with scrambled eggs, cilantro, and lime juice for a complete meal, or skip the eggs if you want a side for your favorite chicken or fish dish. You can turn up the heat with the addition of your favorite hot sauce.
Notes
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
- Full Lesson Info and Pictures at: https://happyhomeschooladventures.com/gallo-pinto
Nutrition
Calories: 333kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 8gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 936mgPotassium: 364mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 687IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 2mg
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
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