Casado is the most common dish in Costa Rica.Those who want to eat like the locals before heading off to the coast or rainforest can stop in San Jose’s Central Market (Mercado Central) the largest market in the city, with over 200 shops, stalls, and inexpensive restaurants called sodas. Sodas typically offer a variety of traditional and popular fare. Traditional dishes are home-cooked style meals that can be traced back at least three generations.

Casado is by far the most traditional and typical Costa Rican meal. Casado is a hearty, filling, and rich dish consisting of rice, beans, salad, a vegetable side, and a protein of either chicken, beef, pork or fish. The meat that comes with a casado is grilled or sautéed, but never fried. Sometimes the casado includes french fries or extra vegetables such as avocados.

Here is a recipe from The Four Seasons Costa Rica on how to make traditional Casado

Guanacaste Casado

Ingredients:
Sweet plantains
Cubaces beans
Criolla salad
Cuajada cheese
Picadillo (aracache, chayote, potato, or green papaya)
White rice
Cheese tortillas
Choice of meat, fish, chicken, or vegetarian

Method:

RICE: Place rice and water in a pot and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat and cover. Cook for 20 minutes.

BEANS: Mix all ingredients together in a pot and cook until tender on
medium heat.

FISH: Rub all the ingredients and let it marinate for at least 3 hours. After this grill until the correct temperature is achieved.

SALAD: Slice the cabbage very thinly and mix with the chopped cilantro and the pico de gallo. Add salt and pepper to taste.

PLANTAINS: Deep fry plantains in hot oil until cooked through. Place them in a pan with the raw sugar cane or brown sugar syrup and allow to coat well.

CHAYOTE PICADILLO: In a pot put all the ingredients to boil and when they are cooked remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To Serve:
Place the picadillo on the plate and the meat on top. Add the cubaces beans on the plate, the rice, the criolla salad, the sweet plantains, the cheese, and the cheese tortillas.

By Mosaka Williamson

Recipe [via] Image via Cecilia Lujan