Who mixed and cooked both ingredients first? It’s unclear, but the dish became famous, popular, and widespread in Costa Rica, beginning its culinary journey since colonial times, with the name 'Gallo Pinto' being original to this country.
The goodness of food transcends borders, so other countries have created different versions of Gallo Pinto (Panama, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil…). In Colombia, it is called ‘calentado paisa’; in the Antilles, rice and beans; prepared there with lime and coconut during cooking, although the dish has other names: revuelto, dirty rice, snack... The name ‘Gallo Pinto’ would relate to the color combination between beans (black or red) and white (rice), reminiscent of the plumage of certain breeds of roosters of the same name.
Some also trace its origin to a typical dish from Rwanda, or from San Sebastián de Costa Rica, ready for festivities (January 20), attended by many visitors, expected and unexpected. A day when Don Bernabé, a local resident, used to sacrifice several roosters for a delicious meal that, nonetheless, was insufficient. The idea of serving it with rice and beans to make it go further is thought to have inspired the name; it also relates to the future independence and diversification of its preparation and presentation.
It is about scrambled rice with red or black beans, prepared with onion, cilantro, finely chopped red peppers, and fried (or refried with pork lard for some tastes), accompanied by fried or scrambled eggs, chopped meat, tomato salad, fried plantain, avocado, and tortilla (or bread). Add Lizano sauce, a greenish-brown, sweet and spicy sauce. During festivities, Gallo Pinto is often served with sweet water. Indulge yourself and repeat… it will be a delightful morning flavor experience.
