Costa Rica's beloved morning dish—black beans and rice fried together with sweet Lizano sauce, onions, and cilantro until the rice turns speckled brown. The literal taste of Costa Rican mornings.
Gallo pinto—literally "spotted rooster"—gets its name from the speckled appearance of the black beans flecked through the white rice. But the real story of gallo pinto is about national identity. Costa Ricans eat it for breakfast every single morning, and asking a tico about their gallo pinto recipe is like asking them about their family—everybody has strong opinions and no two are the same. The secret weapon is Salsa Lizano, a mild Worcestershire-style sauce invented in Costa Rica in 1920 that is completely irreplaceable—ticos living abroad ship it home by the case. Gallo pinto is also the subject of one of Central America's great culinary debates: both Costa Rica and Nicaragua claim the dish as their own national heritage. Costa Ricans use black beans; Nicaraguans use red. The argument has been ongoing for a century, and neither side will concede an inch.
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