Name: Tacu tacu
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Peruvian cuisine
Ingredients: 460 g cooked canary beans, drained, cold; plain or lightly seasoned; 400 g cooked long-grain white rice, cold, separate grains; 120 g red onion, finely diced; 12 g garlic, minced; 35 g ají amarillo paste, pure Peruvian yellow-chilli paste; 45 ml neutral vegetable oil, 15 ml aderezo; 30 ml frying; 3 g ground cumin; 5 g fine salt; 1 g ground black pepper

Yield 4 oval patties

Prep 20 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Passive 0 minutes

Total 50 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Tacu tacu — pan-fried rice and beans

Tacu tacu brings cooked beans and rice together in a pan, where the outside develops a savoury crust but the middle stays yielding. The fried form is closely associated with Lima and Afro-Peruvian cooking; older cookery also describes a softer, stewed treatment of the same pairing.

Canary beans, called frejol canario in Peru, are especially useful here because their tender flesh partially breaks down when pressed. Cooked long-grain rice provides structure without turning the patties into a paste. An onion, garlic and ají amarillo aderezo seasons the mixture rather than merely colouring its surface.

The reliable way to get distinct crust and centre is to crush only part of the beans, compact each portion and leave it in contact with the pan long enough to release naturally. The quantities below start with cooked beans and rice that have already been chilled safely; no overnight soaking is required during the recipe itself.

Ingredients

460 g cooked canary beans, drained, cold; plain or lightly seasoned
400 g cooked long-grain white rice, cold, separate grains
120 g red onion, finely diced
12 g garlic, minced
35 g ají amarillo paste, pure Peruvian yellow-chilli paste
45 ml neutral vegetable oil, 15 ml aderezo; 30 ml frying
3 g ground cumin
5 g fine salt
1 g ground black pepper

Method

Soften the aromatics.In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 15 ml oil over medium heat. Add the 120 g diced onion and stir for 6 minutes, then add the 12 g garlic for 1 minute. The onion is soft and glossy without dark spots.
Cook the chilli paste.Stir in the 35 g ají amarillo paste, 3 g cumin, 5 g salt and 1 g black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. The aderezo smells sweet and peppery rather than sharp.
Press the beans and fold in rice.Add the 460 g cooked beans to the pan, flatten about one third with a spatula, and fold in all 400 g rice over low heat for 4 minutes. Mix until the grains hold together when pressed; do not mash them completely. The mixture sticks together on a spoon but individual grains remain visible.
Form four compact patties.Move the mixture to a clean plate and divide it into four equal portions. With a spoon, press each into an oval about 2 cm thick, keeping the edges tidy. Each oval can be lifted without crumbling at its edges.
Sear the first sides.Wipe the pan, heat 15 ml of the remaining oil over medium heat and lay in two patties. Leave untouched for 4 minutes, then gently shake the pan; repeat with the next two later. The first two patties slide freely and have an even crisp underside.
Turn and finish both batches.Flip the first two patties with a wide spatula and cook for 4 minutes. Move to a serving platter. Add the final 15 ml oil and fry the remaining two for 4 minutes per side, adjusting heat to prevent scorching. All four patties have a firm toasted crust and a tender, hot centre. Reheated rice reaches 74 °C at the centre.

Practical

Serving, storage and substitutions

Serve promptly while the crust is still dry. These patties can sit alongside a separately cooked egg or a meat dish, but neither is needed to make the rice-and-bean base and neither is counted in the stated ingredients or nutrition. Safe rice handling matters more than whether the grains were cooked yesterday. Spread freshly cooked rice in a shallow container, cool it as quickly as possible, ideally within an hour, cover and refrigerate at 4 °C or below. Use it within 24 hours and do not reheat it repeatedly. If the beans are very wet, drain thoroughly before measuring. A soft bean-and-rice mixture that smears in the pan may need an extra minute of gentle stirring before shaping; adding dry flour would change the characteristic centre. Canary beans may be replaced with cooked black beans, with a darker colour and earthier flavour.

Control points

Patties split on turningThe beans were not pressed enough or the first side had not set. Mash a little more of the bean mixture and wait for a releasing crust before lifting.
Crust darkens before the centre heatsThe pan is too hot or the patties are too thick. Lower to medium-low and check 74 °C in the centre before serving.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size1 of 4 patties (about 240 g)
Calories350 kcal
Carbohydrates54 g
Protein11 g
Fat10 g
Fibre9 g
Sodium500 mg

Allergens and food safety

No major regulated allergens in the listed ingredients; inspect commercially cooked beans and ají paste for additives and cross-contact. Use cooked rice cooled promptly and kept chilled no longer than 24 hours; discard rice held at room temperature. Measure reheated rice patty centre at 74 °C; do not reheat cooked rice more than once.

Closing

A crisp, compact exterior surrounds softly bound rice and canary beans. Mash only part of the beans and allow an undisturbed first-side crust to form.

Tacu tacu — pan-fried rice and beans

Ingredients

Ingredients

Method

Practical

Serving, storage and substitutions

Control points

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

Closing

Peruvian National Dishes

Chupe de camarones

Rocoto relleno

Arroz con pollo