Mexican Rice and Beans

Rinse black beans. Soak them overnight in cold water in the fridge.

• black beans: 2 cups

Drain and rinse the beans.

Bring water to a boil. Add onion and garlic, avocado leaves or bay leaves, epazote or cilantro stems. Lower the heat and simmer to 60-90 minutes . Stir it once in a while.

• water: 8 cups
• onion: 1 ½
• garlic: 4 cloves
• avocado leaves (opt): 2
• bay leaves: 2
• epazote (opt)
• cilantro stems: 3-4

Remove everything besides the beans and garlic.

Add oil to a pot and set to medium-low heat. Dice up onion and add to the pot with some salt, cook until translucent. Add salt, the beans and some of the cooking liquid and cook for 15-20 minutes .

• onion: 1
• salt

Using a blender, mix together tomato, cumin, onion, garlic, salt and chicken stock. Look for a consistency between a sauce and a broth.

• tomato: 1 can
• cumin: ¼ tsp
• onion: ½
• garlic: 2 cloves
• salt
• chicken stock: 400 ml

In a pan, add oil and the rice and toss the rice on low heat (stirring constantly) for 5-7 minutes , or until slightly yellowed.

• oil: 2 tbsp
• rice: 400 g

Add some of the tomato broth. Add corn, green peas, carrot, serrano and cilantro leaves. Simmer covered for 12-13 minutes . Let sit under the cover off the heat for 10 minutes .

• tomato broth from step 1
• corn: ¼ cup
• green peas: ¼ cup
• carrot: ¼ cup
• serrano (opt)
• cilantro leaves