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1
Simmer the Beans
60 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 95°C (200°F)
Put the soaked beans in a large pot with fresh water, half the garlic and a pinch of salt. Simmer gently for about 60 minutes until the beans are tender and the cooking liquid has thickened slightly.
Do not boil hard: a gentle simmer keeps the skins intact and the broth silky.
Done when: Beans crush easily between two fingers, skins whole.
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2
Cook the Rice & Make the Hogao
25 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Cook the rinsed rice in 450 ml water with a pinch of salt until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender, about 20 minutes, then rest it covered. Meanwhile fry the onion, scallion and tomato in 10 ml oil for 8 minutes until soft and jammy, season, and spoon half the hogao into the beans.
Let the rice rest 5 minutes off the heat before fluffing: the grains finish steaming and stay separate.
Done when: Rice fluffy and separate; hogao soft, glossy and brick-red.
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3
Fry the Chicharrón, Chorizo & Morcilla
25 Mins
Medium-high heat, about 190°C (375°F)
Dry the pork belly strips well, season with salt, and fry skin-side down for about 20 minutes, turning once, until the skin is blistered and crisp and the meat is cooked through. In the same pan, brown the chorizo and morcilla for 8 minutes until heated through and lightly coloured.
Dry skin is the whole secret: pat the belly very dry and do not crowd the pan, or the skin steams instead of crackling.
Done when: Skin deeply golden and crackling-crisp; sausages browned outside, hot inside.
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4
Brown the Ground Beef
12 Mins
Medium-high heat, about 190°C (375°F), to 71°C (160°F)
Fry the seasoned ground beef in a hot pan, breaking it into small crumbs with a spoon, for about 10 minutes until browned all over and no pink remains. Stir in a spoonful of hogao at the end.
Spread the beef in a thin layer and leave it alone for a minute before stirring: that is what browns it instead of steaming it.
Done when: Evenly browned crumbs, no pink, juices clear.
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5
Fry the Plantain & Eggs
10 Mins
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Fry the plantain slices in the remaining oil for about 3 minutes per side until deep golden and caramelised at the edges. Warm the arepas on a dry griddle. Fry the eggs sunny-side up for about 3 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.
Very ripe plantain burns fast, so watch the edges: deep gold is perfect, dark brown is bitter.
Done when: Plantain golden and soft inside; egg whites set, yolks glossy and runny.
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6
Build the Platter
5 Mins
Serve hot
On each wide plate, mound the rice and beans side by side, add the ground beef, a strip of chicharrón, a chorizo and a piece of morcilla, then the fried egg, two plantain slices, avocado and an arepa. Spoon the remaining hogao over the beans.
Serve everything hot at once: a bandeja paisa is one plate, eaten together, not a row of separate dishes.
Done when: A full, colourful plate with every component hot and visible.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve immediately, while the chicharrón is still crackling and the egg yolk is runny, with hogao on the side for anyone who wants more.
Colombia
35m
Italy
Thailand