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Tacu Tacu with Spicy Seafood and Beans
by Giacomo Bocchio
recipe medium Peruvian

Tacu Tacu with Spicy Seafood and Beans

A hearty Peruvian beach-style dish combining crispy tacu tacu made from rice and beans with a vibrant spicy seafood stew featuring scallops, shrimp, squid, and clams, finished with butter and cilantro flowers.

15m Prep
45m Cook
1h Total
4 Servings
tacu tacu picante de mariscos seafood beans rice peruvian beach food pressure cooker chalona afro-peruvian summer comfort food

Ingredients

Aderezo
  • 1 unit onion (brunoise (fine dice))
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tbsp aji panca paste
  • 2 tbsp aji amarillo paste
  • 0.5 tsp cumin (toasted and ground in mortar)
  • 1 unit bay leaf
  • 2 unit tomato (grated) optional
  • 100 ml chicha de jora (corn beer)
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 to taste salt
Picante de Mariscos
  • 300 g scallops (conchas) (cleaned)
  • 300 g shrimp (langostinos) (peeled and deveined)
  • 200 g squid (calamar) (cleaned and sliced into rings)
  • 200 g clams (palabritas) (cleaned and purged)
  • 2 unit lime (juiced, cheeks reserved)
  • 60 ml heavy cream
  • 30 g butter
  • 1 bunch cilantro (culantro) (chiffonade (cut into thin strips))
  • 1 handful cilantro flowers (culantro macho) (for garnish) optional
Tacu Tacu
  • 500 g dried beans (frejoles) (soaked overnight in the refrigerator)
  • 150 g pork belly (panceta) (cut into pieces, bones removed)
  • 1 unit bay leaf
  • 1 pinch black pepper (freshly ground)
  • 400 g cooked white rice
  • 50 g chalona (dried salted lamb) (cut into small pieces, cooked with rice) optional
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Steps

  1. 1
    Drain and rinse the soaked beans, discarding the soaking water. Place them in a pressure cooker with a bay leaf, pieces of pork belly, black pepper, and enough fresh water to cover. Do not add salt at this stage as it hardens the beans and extends cooking time.
    Tip: Store soaking beans in the refrigerator to prevent fermentation. If using a pressure cooker, pre-soaking is helpful but not mandatory.
    ~5 min
  2. 2
    Cook the beans in the pressure cooker for 45 minutes to 1 hour until completely soft and tender.
    Tip: Cool the pressure cooker under cold water before opening. See Giacomo's canelón de ossobuco video for detailed pressure cooker instructions.
    ~50 min
  3. 3
    While beans cook, prepare the aderezo: heat oil in a wide, shallow pan. Add brunoise-cut onion with salt, bay leaf, cumin, and freshly ground pepper. Cook without caramelizing until the onion is soft and translucent.
    Tip: Toast cumin seeds dry in a pan first, then grind in a mortar for maximum aroma — far better than pre-ground cumin.
    ~10 min
  4. 4
    Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add aji panca paste and aji amarillo paste. Stir well and cook until the aderezo is 'matado' — the fat separates from the paste.
    Tip: You can use only aji amarillo or aji mirasol if you prefer, but the mix of panca and amarillo gives a richer flavor.
    ~10 min
  5. 5
    Add grated tomatoes and chicha de jora to the aderezo. Let it simmer to evaporate the alcohol and concentrate the flavors. Reserve some aderezo for the seafood picante.
    Tip: Chicha de jora adds acidity and umami to the dish. It's a fermented corn beer from the Andes.
    ~10 min
  6. 6
    Season the seafood mix (scallops, shrimp, squid, clams) with lime juice and a pinch of salt. Let it marinate briefly in the refrigerator while you prepare the tacu tacu.
    Tip: Adding lime before sautéing is a technique taught by chef Flora Inostroza — it brightens the seafood flavor.
    ~3 min
  7. 7
    Once beans are cooked, remove the bay leaf and bones. Reserve some whole beans. Blend the remaining beans with the pork belly using an immersion blender to create a smooth, creamy paste.
    Tip: The pork fat blended into the beans creates a creamy binding paste that holds the tacu tacu together.
    ~5 min
  8. 8
    Mix the bean paste with cooked rice at a 70-30 ratio (70% beans, 30% rice). Add the reserved whole beans and pieces of chalona. Add a splash of the bean cooking liquid for moisture. The mixture should be moist and pliable.
    Tip: Giacomo starts at 70-30 because as it cooks in the pan, moisture evaporates and the ratio ends up closer to 50-50 or 60-40.
    ~5 min
  9. 9
    Heat olive oil in a hot non-stick pan until smoking point. Spread the tacu tacu mixture flat like an omelette for maximum surface contact. Let it brown on one side, then flip like an omelette. Shape it into a football-like oval using the edge of the pan. Brown on all sides.
    Tip: Keep heat at medium to medium-low so you can watch and control the browning. Add drops of olive oil on top before flipping.
    ~8 min
  10. 10
    In a very hot pan or wok, sauté all the marinated seafood together over high heat. Add the reserved aderezo and all the seafood juices. Add heavy cream and chopped cilantro (chiffonade). Finish with a knob of butter off the heat for shine, texture, and flavor.
    Tip: Seafood cooks very fast — don't overcook. Add butter off the heat so it melts gently and creates a glossy sauce.
    ~5 min
  11. 11
    Place the tacu tacu on one side of the plate. Spoon the seafood picante alongside it generously. Garnish with cilantro flowers (culantro macho) and serve immediately.
    Tip: Clean the edges of the plate for a polished presentation. A side of salsa criolla pairs beautifully with this dish.
    ~2 min

Nutrition (per serving)

680
Calories
38g
Protein
62g
Carbs
28g
Fat
9g
Fiber
Cultural Context
Tacu tacu is an Afro-Peruvian dish born from the tradition of reusing leftover rice and beans. Giacomo adds chalona (dried salted lamb from Tacna) to his rice for an extra umami layer, a technique he discovered by happy accident while teaching at a cooking school. The dish evokes beach memories and is considered an ideal summer meal on Peru's coast.
Video thumbnail
Giacomo Bocchio
COMO PREPARAR TACU TACU CON PICANTE DE MARISCOS Y FREJOLES EN 45 MINUTOS | GIACOMO BOCCHIO
Watch on YouTube →
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