• Submitted by: manso
• Travel and Tourism
• 03 / 13 / 2011

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Have you ever tasted Cuban black beans and rice? Believe me, it is mind blowing. Confused about the recipe? Don't worry, I am here with some best ways to cook this yummy food…

Cuban Black Beans and Rice

Cuban beans is a kind of legume that, as the name suggests, belongs to Cuba. These tiny black beans are extremely healthy, and are very rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and nutrients. They are also very high on the anti oxidants level. So, with so much health benefits in offering, why not include these nutritious beans in your diet? Cuban black beans are tasty, and have a somewhat mushroom like taste, and with white rice, they serve a fantastic combination, besides the aroma being just 'mouth-watering'! So now you want to experience the aroma for yourself! Well, all that you need to go through is this article,which has three easy recipes to cook these beans and rice.

Easy Cuban Black Beans and Rice Recipe

Ingredients

    * Rice, 1 cup
    * Black beans, 1 cup
    * Onions, 1 cup finely chopped
    * Vegetable oil, 2 tbsp
    * 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
    * A paste of garlic, ginger and mint and cloves
    * 1 tbsp of salt
    * A bit of sugar
    * Olive oil, 2 tbsp
    * Coriander leaves finely chopped, for garnishing

Procedure

Soak the beans overnight in 5 cups of water, drain the water the next day, and then boil the beans in a saucepan for about 20 minutes in 2 cups of water. Set apart the beans liquid and beans. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil on a medium heat. Lightly fry bell pepper, onion and garlic. Then add salt, a pinch of sugar and tomato paste. Make the heat low and cook mixture for 2 minutes maximum, till the color is reddish brown. Then add beans and rice. Pour beans liquid into measuring cup and add water to make level 2½ cups. Pour this liquid into beans and rice. Cover and cook for 45-50 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Make sure rice is cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves, you recipe is ready to serve. The recipe will serve two-three people.(it actually depends on the appetite of the person!)

Spicy Cuban Black Beans and Rice Recipe

Ingredients

    * 4 slices bacon
    * ½ garlic clove, chopped
    * 1½ cup black beans
    * Olive oil, 2 tbsp
    * 1 onion chopped
    * 1 tsp chili powder
    * Cayenne pepper
    * 2 cups boiled rice, cooked
    * salt

Procedure

Clean the black beans, and then soak them in 5 cups of water overnight. The next day, boil the beans using fresh water in a thick base pan, till they are tender. Now add bacon, garlic cloves, chili powder, onion and other ingredients like salt and cayenne pepper. Boil the beans till a thick sauce is formed. Sense the tempting aroma, to confirm that the beans are cooked. Once you are sure that the beans are cooked, pour it on the cooked white rice. This recipe was the authentic Cuban black beans and rice. You can garnish it with coriander leaves.

Cuban Black Beans and Rice with Chicken

Ingredients

    * Black beans, 2 cups
    * Cooked white rice, 3 cups
    * Bacon, 5 slices
    * 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
    * 2 small onions and a chopped tomato
    * Salt, chili powder and pepper
    * 2 tbsp of white vinegar
    * 1½ cup chicken stock

Procedure

First cooking the beans - After cleaning the beans soak them over night in 6 to 8 cups of water. The next day, drain off the water, and in a wide pan add water and these beans, bring it to a boil, and make sure that the beans are cooked. Again drain off the water and keep the beans aside. In a pan add oil, and then add onion, garlic, vinegar and tomato paste in it. Cook till the color is brown. Add salt, chili powder and pepper as per the requirements of your taste buds! Now add chicken pieces, black beans and bacon in the pan, and cover it with a lid. It will take 45 minutes to cook. Now comes the best part, place the cooked rice in a plate and pour the cooked hot beans over it. Serve hot with a butter garnish.

So are you ready to cook this scrumptious meal? You must be, as the recipe sounds so tempting. The best part about these recipes is that they can be cooked by anyone, with little or no cooking knowledge. Happy cooking!

By Hemangi Harankhedkar
Published: 3/12/2011

Source: www.buzzle.com/articles/cuban-black-beans-and-rice.html