Traditional Peruvian Tacu Tacu Recipe (Beans and Rice)
This Peruvian Tacu Tacu is one of my favourite Peruvian recipes, the favourite back at my home in Peru for sure! It's made with creamy beans and rice, and the result is crispy and creamy, all at once.
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Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
For the Peruvian Beans
- 1 kg Canary / Mayocoba / Peruano beans
- 1 slice bacon (skip if vegetarian)
- 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
- ½ large red onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced finely grated or puréed
- 1½ litre water
- Salt and pepper
For the rice (ideally, prepare it the day before)
- 1 tsp olive oil or another type of oil
- 1 garlic clove finely grated chopped or ground (optional but highly recommended)
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 1¼ cup water
For the tacu tacu
- Vegetable or olive oil
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves puréed finely grated or minced
- 6 tbsp ají amarillo paste Peruvian yellow chilli paste
- Salt and Pepper
For the salsa criolla (prepare a couple of hours before erving)
- 1 ají amarillo Peruvian yellow chilli
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
For the garnishes
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 bananas cut in half lengthwise
- 6 eggs
Instructions
For the Peruvian Beans
- Soak the beans overnight or for at least 8 hours in plenty of water at room temperature. (SEE NOTES)
- Drain the beans and discard the water.
- Preheat a large pot over medium heat and place the bacon at the centre. Let it become golden for a couple of minutes per side. Remove and reserve.
- Add the oil and onion and cook it until it's slightly golden, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute.
- Add the beans and the water and stir. Also, add the bacon we cooked before.
- Bring everything to a slow simmer and cover. Let it cook for 1h-1h30min or until if you crush a bean against the side of the pot it easily disintegrates. If using a pressure cooker, 40min will be perfect at high pressure.
- Blend half of the beans. This makes them creamy and delicious. Season with salt and pepper.
For the rice (ideally, prepare it the day before)
- Preheat a small pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, and salt and stir until the garlic starts to become golden. Don't let the garlic burn.
- Add the rice and stir constantly for one minute. This helps the grains stay apart once they are cooked instead of sticky.
- Add the water still on medium heat and let it break to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to a minimum and place the lid on the pot.
- After 15 minutes, use a fork to move the rice on a spot and check that there's no water left at the base of the pot. If there's still water there, let it cook for a few more minutes. If there's no more water, use a fork to mix and fluff up the rice and let it dry out over medium heat for an extra minute without the lid on.
For the Tacu Tacu
- Preheat a small pan to medium heat. Add a bit of oil along with the onion. Sautée it until it starts to become golden.
- Add the garlic and ají amarillo paste and stir for a couple of minutes.
- Add the mix to the beans and mix. Then add the rice and repeat. Taste it and correct the level of salt if needed.
- Preheat a non-stick 10-inch pan over medium-high, ideally with rounded edges.
- Add a thin layer of oil and use a heat-proof brush to make sure both the base and sides have a thin coating.
- Add a generous ladle of the Tacu Tacu mix and flip it towards the front of the pan in the air repeatedly. This action will form a pointed oval shape. If this seems like it's not your cup of tea, you can shape the portion before adding it to the pan with wet hands.
- Let the Tacu Tacu become golden on that side for about three minutes and flip it. You can use the same motion of the pan as before or use a spatula to flip it carefully. Let it become golden on that side too.
- Serve immediately, sliding it carefully off the pan.
For the salsa criolla (prepare a couple of hours before serving)
- Cut off the tips of the ají amarillo and cut it in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and veins and slice it thinly. Reserve.
- Wash the sliced onion under running cold water to remove a bit of its edge. Then drain.
- Mix all the ingredients together and let them marinate for at least 2 hours to get that softened onion flavour.
For garnishes
- Preheat a non-stick pan to medium-high heat, add a bit of butter and a few bananas at a time. Let them become golden for a couple of minutes on one side and flip. Repeat with the rest of the bananas.
- In the same pan, you can fry your eggs. Don't forget to season them.
Serving
- This Tacu Tacu is a real spectacle of a dish. Serve it at the centre of the plate with half a banana on one side, the fried egg on top and some of that salsa criolla too.
Notes
If using a pressure cooker such as an Instant Pot, you don’t need to soak them. Increase cooking time on high pressure to 1h20min.
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