Sometimes certain food dishes get such a strong reputation that they end up getting used as metaphors and shorthand in our daily life. Just to name a few, when things aren’t difficult to accomplish they might be easy as pie, a piece of cake or a cup of tea. On the other hand, there’s also plenty of negative connotations that go along with common foods. If we describe something as the “meat and potatoes” of our life, for example, we know that it’s important even if it’s not particularly exciting or interesting.
Although “living on rice and beans” doesn’t have quite the same cultural reach as some of the examples above, we all probably have associations with that phrase. To many people, it likely means that times are tight and we have to eat cheaply. And let’s face it: eating cheaply often means eating boring to the average person—but that’s actually not true! As those who have travelled know, rice and beans is a very popular dish with a ton of variety and flavor served all around the world (particularly in South America). Although it’s certainly cheap to make, we might just not know how to make rice and beans delicious. Fortunately, that’s all going to change with this incredible Puerto Rican recipe for perfect, flavorful rice and beans.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 16-ounce can of red kidney beans (or pink beans)
- 1/2 teaspoon of adobo seasoning
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1 slice of cooked ham (or salt pork/Canadian bacon)
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 packet of sazon con azafran
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of sofrito sauce
- 1 1/2 cups of cooked white rice
Here’s what you do:
1. To get started, first you’ll need to cook your rice by boiling water and following the instructions on the bag. Although we’re going to combine and season everything to make it more exciting later in the recipe, just make plain white rice for now. Once it’s done, be sure to drain out all the excess water!
2. After that, get a saucepan and heat up your vegetable oil and set it on low-medium heat. Once it’s warm enough, throw in your slice of ham (or whatever other meat you’ve chosen). While you don’t have to slice it up into little pieces, you can if you’d like that finer texture. As the meat starts sizzling, add in garlic powder and adobo seasoning.
3. Next up, add in your sofrito and and your packet of sazon con azafran seasoning. If you’ve never cooked with these ingredients before, don’t worry—they’re both relatively easy to find and to use (and both are made by Goya). You should be able to find them in your store’s international foods section, though you’ll definitely see them at specialized Hispanic grocery stores as well. Once you’ve added them, stir everything together well.
4. Get your can of red beans and drain out most of the liquid, leaving just a few tablespoons of it behind. Pour the beans in the mixture as well and stir everything together well. Once it’s all combined and the sauce has settled, you’re ready to serve!
When done correctly, rice and beans can be a delicious and nutritious recipe that the entire family will love. As with everything, the difference between a good meal and a great one can sometimes just be the right kind of seasoning. Although the version we’ve listed here is a basic, Puerto Rican recipe, there are other Puerto Rican variants that also add in boiled potatoes and olives. Finally, Mexican and Brazilian versions of the dish also have entirely unique and amazing flavors that are worth exploring as well. Happy cooking!
Have you given this recipe a try yourself? Let us know how it went in the comments.
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