Cuban black beans and rice provides an excellent source of protein as a great side dish or a complete meal. The name refers to the wars between the Moors (blacks) and Spaniards, who were white. Black beans are a staple in Cuban cooking and common throughout homes and restaurants in Cuba. It's easy to learn to make Cuban black beans and rice and enjoy the benefits of this delicious dish. Read on to learn more.
Instructions
1. Gather your ingredients which will include 1 lb. dry black beans, 8 cups water, 1 large onion, chopped, 3 green peppers, chopped, 1 clove garlic, chopped, 1/2 cup olive oil, 3 bay leaves, 1 tbsp. salt, vinegar and raw chopped onion on the side and 1 cup uncooked white rice.
2. Wash the beans thoroughly then soak them in 4 cups of water overnight. A crock pot would be handy for this task.
3. Keep the water you soaked the beans in during the previous night and add 4 more cups of water.
4. Fry the onions, green peppers and garlic lightly in the olive oil. Mix together all the ingredients except the vinegar. Cover and cook on low heat 3-5 hours or until the beans are tender and the liquid has thickened.
5. Cook rice according to the package instructions. White rice normally takes about 15 minutes to cook once you get the water simmering. Let it sit at least 10 minutes before serving.
6. Serve the beans over hot rice with plenty of vinegar and raw chopped onions for garnishment. See Tips section for more garnishment ideas.
7. Shorten the process a bit. Instead of chopping up all those onions, simply serve the beans over the rice and toss some salsa, sour cream and shredded cheese on top. For cooks who prefer things simple, substitute canned, rinsed beans to shorten the long cooking time.
Tags: cups water, beans over, beans over rice, black beans, black beans rice
