You might not think “curry rice bowl” when going to a restaurant that specializes in burritos but I promise the coconut curry rice bowl from Gezzo’s West Coast Burritos is absolutely delicious. Will they share the recipe for that coconut curry sauce?
— Ellen Patrick, Atlanta
The coconut curry rice bowl was available at the Gezzo’s West Coast Burrito’s Westside location. That restaurant has closed, and the coconut curry rice bowl is not served at the restaurant’s McDonough or Locust Grove locations. However, the culinary team was happy to share the recipe so our readers could recreate it at home. The team recommends topping the rice, beans and sauce with a grilled protein like chicken or shrimp.
We’ve scaled all the restaurant-sized recipes down for home cooks. When Gezzo’s make the beans, for example, they start with 25 pounds of dried beans.
The beans need to soak overnight, so plan ahead if you decide to prepare this dish. You’ll need cilantro stems for the sauce. Save the leaves to use as a garnish.
Gezzo’s Coconut Curry Rice Bowl
- 1 cup dried black beans, picked through and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons diced onion
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup rice
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/4 cup Chipotle Marinade (see recipe)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped shallots
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced light green portion of lemongrass stalks
- 1/2 cup red curry paste
- 1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup Thai basil stems
- 1 tablespoon minced cilantro stems (see note)
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- Thinly sliced red pepper, radishes and red onion, pomegranate seeds and cilantro leaves, for garnish
- Make black beans: In a large saucepan, combine black beans, onion, granulated garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder, pepper and bay leaf. Add water to cover beans by 2 inches. Cover saucepan and soak beans overnight. The next day, move saucepan to cooktop over high heat and bring water to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low and simmer beans uncovered 2 hours or until tender. Check frequently to be sure beans are always covered with water. When beans are tender, drain into a colander. Discard bay leaf and transfer beans to a medium bowl. Cover to keep warm.
- Make Spanish rice: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine rice, water and Chipotle Marinade. When the water begins to bubble gently, turn heat to low and cover saucepan. Cook rice 13 minutes. Do not stir the rice while cooking. Remove saucepan from heat and let rice sit, covered, 10 minutes.
- Make coconut curry sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over low heat and add shallots, garlic and lemongrass. Cook until shallots turn translucent, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add curry paste and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add coconut milk, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until mixture reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Thai basil and cilantro stems, lime juice and zest. Allow sauce to rest 10 minutes, then strain sauce into a medium bowl and discard solids.
- Divide beans and rice between four serving bowls. Top with coconut curry sauce and garnish with thinly sliced red pepper, radishes and red onion, pomegranate seeds and cilantro leaves.
Serves 4.
Per serving: 668 calories (percent of calories from fat, 41), 18 grams protein, 85 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams total sugars, 13 grams fiber, 31 grams total fat (23 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 818 milligrams sodium.
Chipotle Marinade
At Gezzo’s West Coast Burritos they make the marinade in a batch 30 times this amount. We’ve scaled it down, but there will be more than you will need for four rice bowls. Use the remaining marinade as they do at the restaurant to marinate chicken or make more Spanish rice as a delicious standalone accompaniment for another meal.
This recipe calls for a small amount of chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Start with 1/4 of a pepper and increase according to your preference.
- 1 1/4 cups canned tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon table salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, plus more if desired
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- In the jar of a blender, combine tomato sauce, vinegar, onion, oil, water, garlic, salt, chipotle pepper, cumin and pepper. Puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more chipotle pepper and blend again, if desired. Refrigerate marinade in covered container for up to 1 week.
Makes 2 1/4 cups.
Per 1/4-cup serving: 61 calories (percent of calories from fat, 74), 1 gram protein, 3 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram total sugars, 1 gram fiber, 5 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 776 milligrams sodium.
From the menu of ... Gezzo’s West Coast Burritos, 1866 Jonesboro Road, McDonough; 770-954-9992, gezzos.com.
Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you’d like to make at home? Tell us and we’ll try to get it. We’ll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can’t answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put “From the menu of” and the name of the restaurant in the subject line.
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