One of my recent lunch dates with the kids was at Frita Batidos and we ordered their “Best Snack Ever”. It’s a bowl of layered coconut ginger rice, black beans, melted cheese, and topped with a cilantro-lime salsa. It seriously is the BEST. SNACK. EVER. I had so much fun experimenting at home to come up with my own version. While my version here isn’t exactly the same, it’s close, and it’s super-delicious. The coconut and ginger flavor is subtle, but it really adds a lot to the layers of fragrant rice, creamy black beans, melty cheese, and fresh cilantro lime salsa. I could eat this forever.
While there are several components to this dish, each component is fairly simple to make and it takes minutes to assemble. I used six individual bowls for baking, but it also works in a 9×13 baking dish. The bowls or casserole can be prepared and assembled ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until it’s ready to be baked.
- ½ pound black beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- dash ground black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch + ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1½ cups brown jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 (14 -ounce) can coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 12 ounces monterey jack cheese, grated
- ½ teaspoon chili powder for sprinkling
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Saute until onion softens and starts to become translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the black beans, chicken broth, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and quietly simmer the beans until they are soft and tender, about 2 hours.
- Mix the cornstarch and water together with a fork. Gradually stir the cornstarch mixture into the black beans. Continue stirring until black beans begin to thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in the lime juice. Remove bay leaf and set aside.
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and give a quick stir to evenly coat the rice. Add the coconut milk, water, and salt. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, until rice is tender. Turn off heat and allow rice to sit for another 10 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread a layer of coconut ginger rice in the bottom of six individual bowls or in a 9x13 baking dish. Next layer with the black beans and then the grated Monterey Jack cheese. Sprinkle with chili powder.
- Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and melted. Top with cilantro-lime salsa for serving.
Casserole or bowls can be assembled in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake. If refrigerated, increase baking time to 25-30 minutes.