Tacu Tacu
Sopa a la Minuta & Los Salvavidas (Weeknight Lifesavers)
Tacu Tacu is the ultimate expression of Afro-Peruvian resourcefulness, a brilliant method for turning last night's rice and beans into a crispy, creamy masterpiece. For the diaspora kid craving home on a Tuesday, it is the ultimate weeknight lifesaver. You do not need a simmering pot of day-old stewed beans to pull this off. A can of Mayocoba beans, aggressively seasoned with our holy trinity of red onion, garlic, and ají amarillo, gets you that deeply nostalgic, stick-to-your-ribs comfort in under thirty minutes. The secret here is texture: do not blend the beans into a paste. Mash half of them so you retain some whole beans, and leave the mixture surprisingly wet before frying. A dry Tacu Tacu is a sad Tacu Tacu.
Before you start
Ice the onions for the Salsa Criolla.
Soak the razor-thin red onion slices in a bowl of ice water for ten minutes, then drain and pat dry. This grandmother-approved trick extracts the harsh sulfurous compounds, leaving them sweet and hyper-crisp for the salsa.
Ingredients
- vegetable oil5 tbsp
- thick-cut bacon1 slice
- red onion1/2 med
- garlic3 clove
- ají amarillo paste3 tbsp
- dried oregano1/2 tsp
- Mayocoba beans15 1/2 oz
- long-grain white rice2 cup
- extra virgin olive oil1 tbsp
- eggs4 large
- sweet plantains2 large
- red onion1 med
- jalapeño1 med
- fresh limes3 large
- fresh cilantro2 tbsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
Method
- 01
Sauté the bacon until crisp, then build the sofrito.
Add the diced red onion, garlic, ají amarillo paste, and crushed oregano to the rendered fat, cooking until the raw chili mellows and the oil glows bright orange.
- 02
Pour the entire can of beans into the skillet and mash exactly half of them.
Keep that starchy liquid in the pan; you want to create a creamy paste studded with whole beans to hold the dish together.
- 03
Fold in the cold, day-old rice until it absorbs the golden aderezo.
Mix aggressively. The texture should feel almost sloppy and wet; if it feels dry, splash in a little broth or water so it doesn't turn into a sad brick.
- 04
Press the rice and bean mixture into a thick oval pancake in a hot, oiled skillet.
Let it sear completely undisturbed over medium-high heat until a dark, golden-brown crust forms on the bottom.
- 05
Carefully flip the mass to crisp the other side, then slide it onto a plate.
If it breaks slightly when you flip it, congratulate yourself—that means the inside is authentically creamy. Off the heat, drizzle with good olive oil.
- 06
Fry the sweet plantains until deeply caramelized and cook the eggs sunny-side up.
These are the essential accompaniments that turn a humble leftover dish into a decadent feast.
- 07
Top the crispy Tacu Tacu with the plantain and egg, and crown it with freshly dressed Salsa Criolla.
Toss your iced red onions with the jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice at the absolute last second so they stay hyper-crisp, cutting right through the richness of the beans.
Notes
The necessity of day-old rice.
Freshly cooked rice retains too much moisture and active starch, which will turn your Tacu Tacu into a gummy mush instead of a crispy-edged delight.
Maintain the wetness.
Do not drain the canned beans; that starchy canning liquid simulates the crucial jugo de guiso required to keep the interior perfectly moist and creamy.
From Cook Peruvian in America.