Introduction: Ful is a staple side across the Horn of Africa and eastern Mediterranean, and in Djibouti it’s typically eaten alongside laxoox at breakfast or lunch. Cultural Background: Ful is a staple side across the Horn of Africa and eastern Mediterranean, and in Djibouti it’s typically eaten alongside laxoox at breakfast or lunch. Slow-simmered fava […]
Introduction: Moros y Cristianos, meaning 'Moors and Christians,' refers to the visual contrast of black beans cooked together with white rice, a name recalling the historical struggles of medieval Spain that colonial settlers carried to Cuba. Cultural Background: Moros y Cristianos, meaning 'Moors and Christians,' refers to the visual contrast of black beans cooked together […]
Introduction: Congrí, the eastern Cuban cousin of Moros y Cristianos, uses red beans rather than black and is traditionally cooked with a piece of salted pork or bacon for extra richness, making it a fixture of festive tables in Oriente province, especially at Christmas and New Year gatherings, where it is served alongside roast pork […]
Introduction: A late-summer Dalmatian soup made from fresh borlotti (bobići) beans and sweetcorn, simmered with potatoes and cured pork for depth. Cultural Background: A late-summer Dalmatian soup made from fresh borlotti (bobići) beans and sweetcorn, simmered with potatoes and cured pork for depth. Traditionally prepared when fresh beans and corn are both in season, it's […]
Introduction: Gallo Pinto, meaning 'spotted rooster' for its speckled appearance, is Costa Rica's defining breakfast dish, made by frying day-old rice with black beans and a savoury blend of onion, pepper and cilantro, often finished with the tangy local condiment Salsa Lizano. Cultural Background: Gallo Pinto, meaning 'spotted rooster' for its speckled appearance, is Costa […]
Introduction: Sopa Negra is a smooth, deeply savoury black bean soup often finished with a poached egg, a comforting staple across Costa Rica that makes use of the black beans central to the national diet, sometimes served the day after a bean-heavy meal to use up leftovers. Cultural Background: Sopa Negra is a smooth, deeply […]
Introduction: Chifrijo, whose name blends 'chicharrón' and 'frijoles', is a layered bar-food favourite invented in Costa Rica in the late twentieth century, combining crispy fried pork, rice, beans and a fresh tomato salsa, typically scooped up with tortilla chips. Cultural Background: Chifrijo, whose name blends 'chicharrón' and 'frijoles', is a layered bar-food favourite invented in […]
Native/Reconstructed Name: Iwryt (fava beans) Cultural Background: Fava beans (Vicia faba) have been cultivated in Egypt since the Predynastic period and remain the base of ful medames, one of Egypt's most enduring national dishes. Archaeobotanical remains confirm favas were stored in large quantities in ancient granaries, and their slow-stewed preparation with garlic and cumin traces […]
Introduction: Casado, meaning 'married man', refers to the balanced combination of rice, beans, salad, plantain and a protein that make up this quintessential Costa Rican lunch plate, said to resemble the well-rounded meals a married man might expect at home. Cultural Background: Casado, meaning 'married man', refers to the balanced combination of rice, beans, salad, […]
Introduction: Patacones are twice-fried green plantain rounds, flattened and crisped to a satisfying crunch, a common Costa Rican appetizer served with a smooth black bean dip, especially popular along the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Cultural Background: Patacones are twice-fried green plantain rounds, flattened and crisped to a satisfying crunch, a common Costa Rican appetizer served […]