Mexican Bean Picaditas | Crispy Veracruz Street Food

In a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 30 g of lard over medium heat. Add the finely chopped yellow onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add the finely minced garlic and sauté for another 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the rinsed and drained 400 g of black beans, 5 g of ground cumin, and 4 g of fine salt to the skillet. Pour in about 80-100 ml of lukewarm water, then thoroughly mash the beans with a potato masher or fork while simmering for 5-6 minutes, until you get a thick, creamy bean puree (frijoles refritos). Turn off the heat and keep warm.

Prepare the fresh salsa: finely dice the vine tomatoes, the halved and deseeded jalapeño pepper, and half of the red onion. In a bowl, mix them with finely chopped fresh coriander, the juice of half a lime, and a pinch of salt. Slice the remaining red onion into thin rings for the final serving.