coconut rice with black beans, plantains, and mango salsa

This is a dinner that seems both simple and exotic at the same time. It's your basic rice & beans--the perfect vegetarian meal--plus some fun and flavorful additions. It also works well for picky kids who want to make their own plates. Serves 6.

Adapted from Herbivoracious.

For the rice:

• 2 1/4 cups rice
• 1 thirteen-ounce can coconut milk 

For the beans:

• 2 cans black beans
• 1 cup chicken or veg broth (or water)
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• salt to taste

For the salsa:

• 1 ripe mango, cubed
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
• 1 handful cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

For the dish:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 2 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced into generous 1/4″ thick coins
• Kosher salt
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1 mango, cubed
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime cut into quarters

1. For the rice: Cook the rice in your usual way, on the stovetop or in a rice cooker, but replace one can’s worth of water with the coconut milk.
2. For the beans: Drain and rinse beans. Add broth, cumin, oregano, and salt, then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. For the salsa: Roughly puree all ingredients in a blender. Just 10 seconds or so should be enough, to retain some texture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. To complete the dish: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it is shimmering, add the plantains in a single layer. Fry, until brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until browned and tender, about two more minutes. Sprinkle with Kosher salt.
5. To serve, you may either divide the rice among bowls and top with the beans, salsa, plantains, avocado, mango, and cilantro, or serve all of the ingredients separately and let diners make their own. Pass the lime quarters to squeeze over the finished plate as desired.