Gallo Pinto is a stable Nicaraguan dish of rice and beans. It goes great with carne asada for dinner, or with fried plantains and cheese for a hearty breakfast.

Makes a lot. Halve for a more reasonable yield.

• 2 cups small "centroamerica" red beans.
• 1 small or medium onion
• 3 cups (700 ml) chicken broth (could sub in vegetable broth to make it vegetarian)
• 2 cups (350 ml) precocido / parbroiled white rice
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
• 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil 1-3 Tablespoon oil to fry the Gallo Pinto

Cover beans with water and soak overnight. (Alternatively, put beans in a pot and cover with water. Bring to boil and boil vigorously for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand in hot water for 1 hour.) Drain the beans and add fresh water to an inch (2.5-cm) above the top of the beans, salt, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce heat to very low simmer until beans are soft (~2-3 hours). Drain the beans but reserve the liquid (very important!).

Add 1 Tablespoon oil to a large pan and sauté the dry rice for 2 minutes over medium high flame then add half of the chopped onion and sauté another 2 minutes.

Add water or chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer until rice is tender (20-35 minutes).

Sauté the rice, beans, reserved chopped onion, a bit of reserved bean liquid, and cilantro together in vegetable oil for a few minutes. Garnish with a little fresh chopped cilantro.