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Costa Rican Breakfast Bowl

By Darshana Thacker

1.9

(10)

A large serving bowl of rice and black beans tossed with chopped red pepper and kale ready to be topped with diced...
Photo by Matt Armendariz

Gallo pinto is a popular Costa Rican breakfast dish of black beans and rice. Brian's brother Josh, who lives and owns a café in Costa Rica, is known for his version of gallo pinto. I asked Josh for his recipe, and I was happy to discover that it's as simple to make as it is tasty. I start with leftover rice and canned beans, which makes this recipe quick and easy to throw together when I start the day.

Ingredients

1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
1/2 bunch kale, stems removed and discarded, leaves shredded (about 2 cups)
2 cups cooked short- or long-grain brown rice
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Sea salt
1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 lime, cut into wedges

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the onion, bell pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and jalapeño (if you’re using it) in a large sauté pan. Add 1/2 cup water and sauté the vegetables over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until they are tender, stirring occasionally and adding 1 to 2 more tablespoons water as needed to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the kale, rice, beans, and 1 cup water and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, folding the ingredients, until the kale has wilted and the liquid has been absorbed.

    Step 2

    Add half of the cilantro and salt to taste and stir to combine. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve with diced avocado on top and a lime wedge.

Cover featuring a grain and bean stir-fry in a wok.
From Forks Over Knives: Flavor! © 2018 by Darshana Thacker. Reprinted by permission of Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Buy the full book from HarperCollins or from Amazon.
TagsCentral AmericanLatin AmericanBell PepperVegetableJalapeñoChileKaleLeafy GreensRiceRice & GrainsBlack BeanBean and LegumeAvocadoMainBreakfastDairy FreeGluten FreeNut FreeVeganVegetarianEasyQuickSauteCookbooksHarper Collins

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