Serves 4
This poor man´s steak recipe may use humble ingredients, but the amount of food it requires to be made, and its intense flavors, are anything but poor. A hearty tacu tacu (rice and beans) is covered with a breaded steak, fried eggs, and topped with salsa criolla. You will never be hungry when this dish is around.
3 tablespoons + ½ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ají amarillo paste (or to taste)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups leftover canary beans, cooked
Salt and pepper
2 cups leftover white rice, cooked
4 small ripe mini bananas, peeled
4 steaks
1 cup flour
10 eggs, (separate 2 of them and beat them slightly)
1 cup breadcrumbs
Salsa criolla (p. 79)
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and cook the onion and garlic, stirring frequently. Add the ají amarillo paste and oregano.
2. Add and stir the beans, mashing them with a wooden spoon, or even better, with a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the rice and continue stirring and mashing until the mixture is thick like a paste.
4. Divide in four portions. Fry each portion individually, giving it a football shape by moving the pan back and forth with a firm but light movement. If this doesn’t work out, fry them like you would a hamburger. The outter layer of the tacu tacu must be slightly crispy while the inside should remain mushy.
5. Fry the bananas in 1 tablespoon of hot oil, until golden, and reserve.
6. In the meantime, prepare the steaks. First, season them with salt and pepper.
7. Put the flour in one bowl, the beaten eggs in a second bowl, and the breadcrumbs in a third one.
8. Dip each steak in flour, then in the beaten eggs, and finally in the breadcrumbs, shaking any excess.
9. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the steaks until golden brown on both sides.
10. In another skillet, fry the eggs sunny-side up.
11. Put a portion of tacu tacu on each plate. Top with a breaded steak, and top this with two fried eggs. Serve a fried banana next to it, and salsa criolla on the side.
Tacu tacu is a simple dish that can be served on its own, or topped with salsa criolla. You can also crown it with fried eggs.