The most emblematic and traditional dish of Costa Rica humbly consists of rice, beans, a few tasty vegetables, and spices. Gallo pinto is nutritious, delicious and easy to make; however, proper preparation is key. In a video recently shared by YouTube channel The Hot Dish, a beautiful and talented actress from Southern California uses the tried and true method of warming up the beans prior to adding freshly cooked rice followed by the veggies and spices.

There are several variations of gallo pinto (also written as gallopinto), and many cooks prefer day-old rice instead of day-old beans. Other cooks insist on sautéing the onions, peppers and cilantro first. The Costa Rica Star has previously posted a couple of recipes; one of the most accepted is as follows:

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 spoonfuls of diced onions
• 3 spoonfuls of diced bell peppers
• 1 spoonful of margarine
• 3 cups of cooked white rice
• 2 cups of cooked black beans (or red), unstrained
• 1 cup of bean broth
• 4 spoonfuls of chopped cilantro

Preparation

• In a frying pan, saute the garlic, onion and bell peppers in the margarine
• Add the beans and allow them to cook for a minute
• Add the rice and stir together
• Add the cilantro at the end and stir together

There are many variations of the above recipe that call for the use of pepper, bomba spice, Salsa Lizano, and other tasty ingredients. Cooks should not feel limited by the recipe above. If you know of any other variations on how to make gallo pinto, or other cool recipes, please let us know.