Tacu Tacu – Rice & Beans Mix
We Visited Inka Fé – Restaurant Review
This post is a sum up of our visit to Inka Fé, a Peruvian bakery in Great Neck, Long Island
“Caigua Rellena”
Caigua, stuffed with beef, and veggies, served over rice.
“Anticuchos”
Beef heart skewers, marinated in spices and in a Peruvian pepper paste, served with potatoes/corn with a spicy sauce.
“Seco de Mariscos”
“Seco de Mariscos”, is a creamy stew with some seafood, great aroma, and texture in one quick dish.
“Lasagna de Ají de Gallina”
Ají de Gallina (Creamy spicy hen stew) turned into a Lasagna
“Pollo a la Brasa”
Peruvian blackened chicken, rotisserie chicken, one of the most iconic Peruvian dishes.
When I arrived to USA, I struggle a bit, I had no job and just a couple of dollars in my pocket, I wanted to keep cooking peruvian dishes how ever since I was on a budget I had to look for different recipes that is when I realized I could prepare Tacu Tacu, Tacu Tacu is a dish that it has two main ingredients Rice and Beans, I am glad that something that is really simple can be so good, for the ones wondering what Tacu Tacu means, it comes from the Quecha (Ancient South American Language) word “Tucuy”, it means to mix one thing with another.
The history behind this dish is really remarkable, many years ago Peru was a Spain Colony, Spain introduced African Slaves to Peru, this African slaves ate the leftovers of the Spain conquerors, after some time they got along with the Peruvian people and started using local ingredients mixed with others spices to enhance the flavor of their meals and that is how Tacu Tacu borned. A humble dish, a mix of cultures full of flavor and history.
That is why I love this dish you can make with left overs you have on your fridge maybe a stew, some rice and some beans and that is it. simple but so delicious.
Tacu Tacu - Rice and bean mix
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 4 cups Cooked Rice
- 6 cups Cooked beans
- 1 1/2 Cups Diced Onions (Red or White)
- 3 Garlic cloves (Minced)
- 2 tablespoon "Aji Amarillo" Paste
- 1 tbsp "Aji Panca" Paste
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Sal
- 1 teaspoon ground Paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 cup Chopped Cilantro
- 1/4 cup Water optional
Instructions
- In a hot pan add some oil , onions, garlic, tomato paste, "Ají Amarillo" and Ají panca paste let it cook until tender.
- While that is cooking, in a bowl add beans and mush them then add the salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, cilantro and integrate.
- then add the onions,garlic and Aji we cooked before integrate.
- Add Rice to the mix and mush it too.if it's too dry you can add some water I always use the water in which the beans were cooked.
- Shape your Tacu Tacus like a Football and in a Pan with hot oil seal them 3 min per side and thats it!
After few months I was able to work in USA, I started cooking different dishes, I had the opportunity to prepare this dish many times here in USA and share it with people from other cultures, it feels great that others can enjoy too something as simple as rice and beans. Said that this dish requires a bit of patience, The “sofrito” is they key for this dish caramelizing the onions will make a huge difference in flavor
Once you shaped your “Tacu Tacu” let them cook at medium-high heat, create a crust over them, the crust will make it crunchy outside and soft and moisty inside.
Peruvia food is all about color and flavor, do no t be affraid to brown your “Tacu Tacu” , add a bit of oil if its browning too fast, if you want them crunchy inside just mush the again and reshape them with the help of a wooden spoon.
You can serve it as it is, with some “Lomo Saltado” on top and with “Sarsa criolla”
Share with us if you liked this dish and have you change your mind about eating Rice and Beans?
Don’t like beans at all? try our Lentil Tacu Tacu!
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