The typical meal in Costa Rica is called a "Casado" and consists of "Gallo Pinto" (rice and beans seasoned and cooked together), vegetables, salad, maybe a little meat or fish, "Maduros" (fried plantain slices), avocado, etc. It's just a nicely assembled plate of different items.
We started making basically the same thing after our first trip to Costa Rica 🙂 This meal can be quite labor-intensive if you make all the different components, but you can also leave out one or two for an easier preparation. I can, however, attest to the luxury of having all the components there on your plate! At the very least, prepare the gallo pinto and mango salsa, and serve with a side salad or cooked vegetables.
Gallo Pinto
2 Cups Steamed white rice
1 Can Black beans.
1 Medium Tomato, diced
1 Small Onion, diced
2 TBSP. Cilantro minced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp. Mild Chile powder
1/2 tsp. Mexican Oregano
1 tsp. butter or oil
Salt to taste
Heat oil in pan and fry the onion until lightly browned. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. If mixture is too dry, add a bit of water. The dish should be moist, but not wet. Cover and let sit on low temperature until the cilantro wilts and all of the flavors have mingled.
Mango Salsa
4 Medium Tomatoes, diced
2 small or 1 large Mango, peeled and diced
1 Jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (leave seeds in for a spicier salsa)
2 TBSP. Red onion, finely chopped
1 bunch Cilantro, stems removed and chopped.
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Paprika or other mild chili powder.
Salt to taste
Lime Juice to taste.
Combine all ingredients except Salt and Lime juice in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover and let sit refrigerated for at least 30 minutes. Season with Salt and Lime Juice to taste.
Fried Plantains
2 Fully ripe Plantains (Store under-ripe plantains at room temperature in a paper bag until fully black and soft)
1 TBSP. Butter or Oil
Slice plantains at a sharp angle to produce large ovals about 1/4" thick. In a medium temperature skillet, melt butter and arrange plantain slices neatly on the hot surface. Flip one slice after a couple minutes to see the cooking progress. When the plantains are golden brown and starting to turn translucent, flip all the slices over. Cook the raw side until fully cooked and serve while hot.
Final Preparation
Assemble any or all of the items above with some steamed veggies, piece of meat/fish, salad and sliced avocado on a plate and enjoy.