Bandeja Paisa

Hearty dish of minced or grilled steak, chorizo, fried pork belly (chicharron), red beans, rice, arepa, fried plantain, blood sausage, a small salad, and a fried egg.


The official dish of the Antioquia region of Colombia, bandeja paisa, is a bona-fide glut of carne(meat). This dish can feature minced or grilled steak, chorizo, fried pork belly (chicharron), red beans, rice, arepa, fried plantain, blood sausage, a small salad, and a fried egg.

There is a controversy in the Colombian culinary world to modernize this dish to be healthier and lighter. Traditionalists are completely against this because they feel that bandeja paisa is a part of the national heritage and culture. The recipe here is quite traditional.

Origin:

Bandeja paisa is a high calorie, high protein meal stemming from the agricultural community in the Antioquia region of Colombia. It features local ingredients, particularly, a lot of meat. The meats featured though aren't necessarily the prime cuts: cuts of rump roast, blood sausage, eggs, and pork belly are all economical meat options.

Bandeja Paisa:

Red Beans:

Ingredients:

•3 cups dried red beans (substitute canned or a different type of bean).
•Carrot, rough chopped.
•Green plantain, finely diced.
•Salt.
•Pepper.

Process:

1. Soak dried beans over night in enough water to cover the beans plus an extra inch or so.

2. Pressure cook for 20 minutes.

3. Add carrots and pressure cook for another 20 minutes.

4. Remove carrots and place in a blender and whiz smooth with some of the cooking liquid. Return liquid to pot along with plantains.

5. Pressure cook for another 20 minutes.


Tip of the day: You can tell when the beans are fully cooked when you can take one and split the skin by blowing on the seam of the bean.

Read more: http://south-american-food.suite101.com/article.cfm/bandeja_paisa#ixzz0RWFjRQNV