It’s hard NOT to love any ingredient when it’s fritter-fied, aka covered in batter and cooked until perfectly golden. This version stars black beans, which we mash until creamy, then fold into a Southwest-spiced tempura batter and shallow-fry until crispy. They’re served over aromatic cilantro-lime rice, then topped with a sweet and savory pineapple salsa and drizzled with smoky red pepper crema. Now comes the most challenging part of the meal: stacking a little bit of everything on your fork at once to create the perfect bite!
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
13.4 ounce
Black Beans
4 ounce
Pineapple
¼ ounce
Cilantro
4 ounce
Grape Tomatoes
1 unit
Shallot
1 unit
Jalapeño
1 unit
Lime
½ cup
Jasmine Rice
4 tablespoon
Smoky Red Pepper Crema
(Contains Milk, Soy)
82 g
Tempura Mix
(Contains Eggs, Milk, Wheat)
1 tablespoon
Southwest Spice Blend
1 teaspoon
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains Milk)
Vegetable Oil
• Wash and dry all produce. • Zest and quarter lime. Drain pineapple. (TIP: Save the pineapple juice for adding to smoothies or cocktails!) Quarter tomatoes. Pick cilantro leaves from stems; finely chop, separating leaves from stems. Halve, peel, and finely chop shallot. Finely chop jalapeño, removing ribs and seeds for less heat. Drain and rinse beans.
• In a small pot, combine rice, ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4 servings), and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
• While rice cooks, in a small bowl, combine smoky red pepper crema with a squeeze of lime juice. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper. • In a separate small bowl, combine pineapple, tomatoes, half the cilantro leaves, half the shallot, juice from remaining lime, and as much jalapeño as you like. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer beans to a medium bowl; mash with a potato masher or fork until almost smooth. TIP: It’s okay if there are still some larger pieces. • Add tempura mix, Southwest Spice, garlic powder, ¾ tsp salt, and 1⁄3 cup water (1½ tsp salt and 2⁄3 cup water for 4 servings); stir until thoroughly combined. TIP: Batter should be very thick but not dry; add a splash of water if necessary. • Stir in cilantro stems and remaining shallot. Season with pepper.
• Heat a 1⁄3-inch layer of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium high heat. Once oil is shimmering and hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles when added to the pan, add ¼-cup scoops of batter and lightly press down to form small patties. (TIP: You may need to work in batches. Carefully drop your batter close to the oil to avoid splatter.) Cook until golden brown and crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. • Using a slotted spoon, transfer fritters to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with a pinch of salt. Turn off heat.
• Fluff rice with a fork and stir in lime zest, 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings), and remaining cilantro leaves. Season with salt. • Divide rice between plates and top with fritters and salsa. Drizzle with crema and serve.