This is the fifth in a series that explores cultural cuisine leading up to Tucson Meet Yourself, Oct. 8-10. The 37-year-old event celebrates folk art, traditions and cultural identity.
Gallo Pinto evolved in Costa Rica as a breakfast made from leftover rice and beans that could fuel a family for a long day of farm work.
Today it's considered the national dish of Costa Rica and is enjoyed at any time of the day.
It's also just one of the traditional dishes that Club Costa Rica will prepare next month at Tucson Meet Yourself.
The small club plans to serve its traditional best-seller - tamales with chicken, rice and vegetables wrapped in a banana leaf - in addition to pollo tropical (tropical chicken), which is chicken that is prepared with tropical fruit and served over rice. Also look for Costa Rican iced coffee and a variety of tropical fruit drinks, and for the first time - Costa Rican clothing and jewelry.
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"Our largest event of the year is the Tucson Meet Yourself," said Maria Corrales, who with her husband, Gabe, helped start the club in 2002. Today it has about 30 members, which includes several families.
Club Costa Rica is one of dozens of community organizations expected to take part in the festival, which this year will stretch from El Presidio park and the Jacome Library Plaza south to the Tucson Convention Center Plaza.
Mia Hansen, the festival's executive director, said the festival is putting particular attention on smaller Latin nations this year as part of celebrating Hispanic Heritage month, which started Wednesday and runs through Oct. 15.
"The traditions of Costa Rica and other smaller Latin nations may not be as well known in our region as those of Mexico, but they will be well represented in the festival," Hansen said. Tucson Meet Yourself will feature Club Costa Rica along with Club Colombia and Club Espana food booths. Music and Carnival-style entertainment from groups representing Cuba, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Brazil, Dominican Republic and Mexico will be showcased.
"In Arizona it's rare to find a Costa Rican," said Maria Corrales, noting that few people leave the Central American nation. Her husband only planned to stay in Tucson for a year, but ended up falling in love with the Old Pueblo. That was 22 years ago.
The family started looking for other Costa Rican families when Corrales' niece came to stay for awhile. That led to the club's formation.
"It's very family-oriented," she said. "It's families getting involved and trying to keep our culture together." Eight of the club's 30 members are children, ranging in age from 5 into their early 20s. The Corraleses' son is now a 15-year-old high schooler, and a 21-year-old daughter studies biomedical engineering at the University of Arizona.
Everyone pitches in to help at Tucson Meet Yourself.
Gallo Pinto
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1 Small or medium onion, chopped finely
• 2 Minced cloves of garlic
• 3 Cups cooked white rice
• 2 Cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Teaspoon ground coriander
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Fresh cilantro
• Sliced green onions
Heat up the oil in a skillet over medium. Add the chopped onion and sauté for a few minutes. You want it to be tender and start to brown.
Add the minced garlic to the onion. Stir the spices into onion and garlic mixture. Next, add beans, rice and Worcestershire sauce.
Mix the ingredients and cook until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve hot. Garnish with cilantro and green onions.
Courtesy of Maria Corrales
Serving suggestions
Combined with egg and a ripe fried plantain, Gallo Pinto is the perfect meal, Corrales said. There are also several variations to the dish itself. On the Atlantic coast, for example, it is cooked using coconut milk. It usually is consumed with fish.
