Bandeja Paisa

Method

1. Drain and rinse the soaked beans and put them in a 3 L pot with the water and grated carrot. Bring to a boil on high heat, skim off the foam, then turn down to medium-low heat, half-cover and simmer for 1 h 35 min, until a bean squashes easily between your fingers. If the beans poke above the liquid, top up with a little hot water. The salt goes in later, with the hogao.

   Add in this stepDried red beans (cargamanto or kidney), soaked 120 gWater for the beans 1,100 mlCarrot, finely grated ½

   high heat→medium-low heat

2. While the beans cook, make the hogao (Colombian tomato and onion sauce). Thinly slice the spring onions, cut the tomatoes into 1 cm dice and mince the garlic. Heat the oil in a 20 cm pan on medium heat, cook the spring onion and garlic for 2 minutes, then add the tomato, cumin and salt and cook for 10 min, stirring, until the tomato collapses into a thick, glossy sauce. Stir half the hogao into the tender beans and simmer them on low heat for 15 min so the broth thickens slightly; keep the other half for the beef.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspSpring onions or thin leeks (stand-in for Colombian cebolla larga) 2Medium tomatoes 1½Garlic cloves 2Ground cumin ½ tspSalt ½ tsp

   medium heat→low heat

3. Heat the oil in a 16 cm pot, stir the rice in it for 1 minute, then add the water and salt. Boil on high heat, uncovered, until the water drops to the level of the rice and little holes appear on the surface. Cover tightly, turn down to low heat and cook for 18 min. Take off the heat, leave covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

   Add in this stepLong-grain white rice 150 gWater for the rice 230 mlVegetable oil ½ tbspSalt 0.4 tsp

   high heat→low heat

4. Cut the pork belly into strips 3 cm wide and score the skin every 1 cm without cutting into the meat. Lay them skin side up in a wide 24 cm pan, add the water and salt and boil on medium-high heat, uncovered, for about 22 min, until the water has evaporated and the fat starts to sizzle. Turn down to medium heat, flip the pieces skin side down and fry for 12 min, turning now and then, until deep golden with puffed, crackly skin: that is your chicharrón. The fat should be around 170 °C, bubbling briskly but never smoking. Moisture in the skin makes it spit, so keep a lid half over the pan, use long tongs, and never add water to hot fat. The meat must be cooked through with no pink juices. Drain on paper towels.

   Add in this stepSkin-on pork belly 240 gWater for the pork belly 350 mlSalt ¼ tsp

   medium-high heat→medium heat

5. In a second 24 cm pan, heat 1 tbsp of the rendered pork fat on medium-high heat and cook the ground beef for 8 min, breaking it up finely with a spatula, until no pink remains and it starts to brown. Stir in the reserved hogao and the salt, cook 2 minutes more and set aside. In the same pan, prick the chorizos a few times, add 3 tbsp water and cook on medium heat for 12 min, rolling them around, until browned all over, firm, and no longer pink inside.

   Add in this stepGround beef 160 gSalt ¼ tspFresh pork chorizo sausages 2

   medium-high heat→medium heat

6. Mix the masarepa with the salt and warm water and knead for 2 minutes into a soft dough that does not crack; let it rest 3 minutes. Shape one disc per serving, 10 cm wide and 1 cm thick. Cook in a dry non-stick pan on medium-low heat for 8 min in total, turning once or twice, until speckled golden and they sound hollow when tapped. Peel the plantain and slice it diagonally 1 cm thick. Heat the frying oil in a 24 cm pan on medium heat to about 170 °C (a slice should sizzle at once) and fry for 6 min, turning once, until the edges are deep amber and caramelised. Once golden they burn fast, so lower the heat if needed.

   Add in this stepMasarepa (precooked white corn meal) 80 gWarm water for the arepas 110 mlSalt ¼ tspVery ripe plantain (skin mostly black) 1Oil for frying the plantain 80 ml

   medium-low heat→medium heat

7. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat, crack in the eggs and fry for 3 min, until the whites are fully set with lacy edges and the yolks still runny. On a large plate, mound the rice and top it with the egg. Arrange the beans in a small bowl or on the side, then the beef, chicharrón, chorizo, plantain and arepa, and fan the sliced avocado on top. Add a lime wedge to squeeze over the chorizo.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil ½ tbspEggs 2Avocado ½Lime ½

   medium heat