Coconut rice, black beans, fried plantains, mango salsa and avocado

Meatless Mondays

We try to go meatless a few days a week.  One of Wills favorite things is coconut rice. This is a great dish for kids too.  They love the mango's, rice and beans. To add some heat for the adults there is the mango salsa.  Plantains are kind of like a starchy banana and not as sweet.  Try to find a ripe plantain if you can.  The coconut rice reheats really well and the salsa can be made a day ahead so this dinner can be thrown together in 15 minutes if those elements are done ahead of time.

Serves 4

Rice

2 cups Basmati Rice

1 13oz can coconut milk
2 3/4 cups water

Salsa

1 ripe mango, cubed
1 to 2 jalapeno or Serrano pepper seeded and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
1 handful cilantro
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

For the Dish

2 TBSP  vegetable oil
2 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced into 1/4″ thick coins
Kosher salt
2 cups cooked black beans, heated, seasoned with salt (or if you like, with garlic, onions, etc. to your taste)
2 ripe avocado, sliced
1 ripe mango, cubed (get 2 mangos if you really like mango)
1 handful cilantro
flaky sea salt
1 lime cut into quarters

First make the rice:  Either in a rice cooker or using your stove top method add the 2 cups of rice, 1 can coconut milk and 2 3/4 cups water.  Cook the rice.

Make the salsa.  In a food processor add the mango, jalapeno, garlic, red onion, cilantro and kosher salt.  Pulse for about 10 seconds.  You want it to have a somewhat chunky texture.  Taste it and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it.

Put the dish together.  Peel the plantain.  Score the outside of the peel with a paring knife to make peeling the plantain easier.  Slice into 1/4 inch coins.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  When the oil is shimmering add the plantains in a single layer.  Fry for about 3 minutes until they are brown then flip and fry for another 2 minutes they should be brown and tender.  Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Slice the the avocado and cube one mango and set aside.  Cut lime into quarters and tear cilantro from stems and set aside.  

Divide the rice into 4 bowls and top with beans, salsa, mango, avocado, cilantro and plantains.  Squeeze lime quarters over the finished plate as desired. Delish!!

Recipe adapted from Herbivoracious.com