I am taking Valentine’s Day on a whole new context. Majority of people who may celebrate it with their current lover, a day for love ones to show their love, affection, satisfy raunchy sex desires and fantasies. As for me, I will dedicate this to my past lover, who is no longer here, on earth.
DE is from Costa Rica and I had one of my favorable memories from traveling to this exotic, unknown world to me. The exotic, yet comforting smells of pineapple trucks driving pass our car- I can still smell it even though it was almost six years ago. My favorite drinks from there would have to be Pineapple Juice (Jugo de Piña) and Tamarind Juice (Jugo de Tamarindo). My favorite foods would have to be Sopa Negra(Costa Rican Black Bean Soup)- my host Mom made that very well, Deep-Fried Plantains at a place called Bim Bop in Limon served with onions and gravy(which I can’t replicate) and fresh pineapple, mangos, mangas(baby mangos, so sweet), and watermelon.
I made sopa negra –black beans, onions, cilantro, garlic, green pepper, chicken broth (made own stock), pieces of chicken (what was left from the whole chicken), and salt and pepper to taste. You may take out half the portion of beans out for gallo pintos (a popular rice and beans dish served fried and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner with scrambled eggs). When served in a bowl, you may serve it with a boiled egg and scoop some cooked rice (similar to congee, Chinese rice porridge).
Sopa Negra Recipe
1lb (450 grams) Black beans (if beans are dried, soak overnight, fresh-just rinse, or canned-rinse and use right away)
8 cups chicken broth (or water if you vegetarian)
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Finely Chop:
10-12 sprigs of cilantro leaf
1 small/medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 small green/red/yellow pepper
Drain beans and all the ingredients together and bring to boil. Simmer on low heat, covered for 3 hours. Boil eggs (pending on how many people) in a separate pot. Cook a separate pot or use rice cooker of rice, about 2 cups. Remove about half the beans and reserve it for gallo pinto (beans and rice, just fry it up in a pan). Once soup is ready to be served, add a boil egg and a scoop of rice into each bowl.
DE siempre en mi corizon. Cuando me llegue el momento de unirse a usted en el cielo, me encontraré con usted.
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