Belizean Rice and Beans#EaTTheWorld

Rice and Beans is one of the most popular foods in Belize and the national dish of the country. The rice is cooked with coconut milk to give the dish a rich, tropical flavor but it’s made even more tasty by the addition of red kidney beans! . Serve this as a side with any protein for a yummy meal! The  beans add some protein and fiber to the dish, making it more filling and healthy to eat.
The best part of this recipe that it is vegan and gluten free. For this recipe I have used dried kidney beans, you can use a can of cooked beans to reduce the time and make a quick meal.

Serves 3
Ingredients
To Cook The Beans
1/3 Cup Dried Red Kidney Beans
1½ Cup Water
Salt to taste
To Make The Rice & Beans 
1 Cup Long Grain Rice
Cooked Red Kidney Beans
1 Small Onion - chopped
1 Clove Garlic - chopped
½ Teaspoon Dried Thyme

1 Cup Coconut milk
2 Cups Water - I used 2nd & 3rd extract of the coconut milk 
Salt, to taste
2 Tablespoons Oil or Desi Ghee

Method

Rinse the beans in water and soak them for at least 4 hours. Then place them in pressure cooker with water, and cook on high for one whistle then reduce the flame and cook it for 10 minutes on medium look flame. When cooker cools open and check if the beans are cooked but firm. Drain the beans and keep aside.

In a large heat oil add the onions and garlic sauté till the onions are translucent. Then add the rice and sauté for a minute or two. Add salt, thyme, cooked beans, thin & thick coconut milk. Lightly give it good mix. Bring this to a rolling boil and place the lid, on the pot, reduce the flame to medium low, let it cook for 10 - 15 minutes. After 12 - 15 minutes remove the lid and check if the rice is cooked and all the moisture is absorbed by the rice. Fluff the rice with a fork. Serve hot with potato salad or any protein of your choice. Enjoy this Belizean Rice & Beans!

Labels: Belize, International Cuisine, Rice, Red Kidney beans, Coconut milk, Vegan, Gluten Free, Main Course, Eat The World 

Belize Final HTML

• Belizian Panty Ripper by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Belizean Rice and Beans by Sneha's Recipe
• Pan de Muerto by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Two French Sweets that Landed in Belize: Rum Cakes and Coconut Sugar Cakes by Culinary Cam

Rajma Rasmisa#SundayFunday

This is a vegetarian mughlai dish in which red kidney beans are cooked to perfection flavored with aromatic spices. The combination of this delicious curry with steamed rice is one of the most favorite food of North India.

Serves 2 to 3
Ingredients
1 Cup Red Kidney Beans/Rajma Beans
Salt to taste
2 Teaspoons Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Large Onion - finely sliced
2 Medium Tomatoes - blended
2 Green Chilies - chopped
1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly powder - or to your spice level
½ Teaspoon Heaped Cumin powder
¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
2 Tablespoons Oil
½ Teaspoon Cumin seeds

Method

Clean & wash the red kidney beans & soak over night or for at least 4 -6 hours. Drain the water, wash them in clean water and pressure cook them in water 2 inches above the rajma, till they are soft & tender. On high flame for one whistle then reduce it to low flame and cook for 15 minutes. Switch off the flame let the cooker cool. Open and drain all the stock.

Heat oil in a kadai/ wok add cumin seeds, when they crackle add the sliced onion, sauté it till they turn light golden. Then add ginger & garlic paste sauté for a minute, the boiled red kidney beans, sauté for 2 minutes. add the blended tomato fry till oil surfaces. Then add the spices, coriander, cumin, red chilly and black pepper power, salt to taste, mix well , add the reserved stock from the beans, let it come to boil. Cover and cook for 5 - 6 minutes giving it a stir after every 2 minutes. Then add the green chillies and little coriander leaves mix well and cover with a lid and let is simmer for 2 minutes.  

It's done, serve hot garnish with coriander leaves, sliced tomato and lime slices. Enjoy with  chapattis or steamed rice. 

Labels: Rajma Beans, Pressure Cooker, Red Kidney Beans, Sunday Funday, Vegetarian Curry, Vegan, Gluten free, Indian

• Super Easy Baked Beans from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Aquafaba from Dried Chickpeas from Cook with Renu
• Rajma Rasmisa from Sneha’s Recipe
• Southwest Chicken Foil Packs from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Sausage, Green Beans and Potatoes from Palatable Pastime
• Dry-Fried Sichuan Beans from Karen's Kitchen Stories

Jamaican Coconut & Beans Rice #MultiCookerMonday

The rice is cooked in coconut milk with beans, a favorite side dish of Jamaica. I added one spicy red chilly which is cooked with the rice, it was added just for a bit of flavor. It doesn't make the the rice spicy at all and you can discard while eating. I cooked this rice in a pressure cooker and it was done in minutes, perfect and fluffy, every grain was loose.

Cup Measurement 200Ml
Ingredients
2 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil - I used coconut Oil
1 Small Onion - finely chopped
3 Big Coves Garlic - finely chopped
1½ Cups Short Grain Rice - can use long grain
1 Big Cube Vegetable Seasoning
½ Teaspoon Finely Chopped Ginger
3 Cups Water
2 Tablespoons Heaped Coconut Milk Powder - See Notes
1 Cup Boiled Kidney Beans -  See Notes
1 Bay Leaf
1 Spicy Red Chilly - can use any chilly 
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice- optional  

Method 

In a bowl mix the coconut milk powder with a cup of water till it forms a smooth liquid, then add the remaining 2 cups water and mix it well. Keep this aside.

Heat the pressure cooker with coconut oil over medium high flame. Add the onions and sauté, until they begin to brown on the edges. Add garlic, ginger and bay leaf, sauté for a minute.  Add the rice and fry it for a minute lightly or else the grains will break. Add the stock cube, coconut milk and stir well. Add the kidney beans and the chopped chilly.  Bring this to a rolling boil, let this boil on medium high heat till the coconut milk come to level of the rice, stirring lightly with a spatula after every 2 minutes.  

Close the cooker with a lid and  on high flame take 2 whistles.  Switch off the flame and let the cooker cool completely.  Fluffy the rice with a fork and enjoy with a dash of lemon juice. 

The rice is especially good with a little lime juice sprinkled on it.  Enjoyed this with Jamaican Saucy Jerk Chicken Wings, a delicious combo. 

My Notes
If you are using coconut milk then use half coconut milk half water- 1½ Cup each - coconut milk and 1½ Cup Water.

For the Kidney Beans
I washed and then soaked ½ Cup kidney beans overnight. Then next morning, boiled them in the pressure cooker with ½ teaspoon salt and 2 cups water . Place the cooker on high flame take one whistle, reduce the flame to low and keep it for 7 minutes. Cool and drain all the water, since this will change the color of rice. If you find that the beans are not cooked then cook it for more time. Since I soaked them overnight it was done in 7 minutes. 

Labels:  Coconut Milk ,Red Kidney Beans, Rice, Vegan, Gluten free, Main course, Jamaica, Multi Cooker Monday, International Cuisine 

                                            

Multicooker Monday November 2020:

Recipes using Small Kitchen Appliances

• Crockpot Bread from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Instant Pot Butter Beans and Sausage from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Instant Pot Cheesy Taco Shells from Making Miracles
• Slow Cooker Pot Roast from Palatable Pastime
• Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Jamaican Coconut & Beans Rice - Pressure Cooker from Sneha's Recipe
• Sous Vide Whole Stuffed Turkey from Food Lust People Love

Mexican Vegetarian Burrito Bowl#Improv

Mexican Burritos bowls are mainly made with rice, beans, different types of sauces/dips, sour cream and lettuce. Although a burrito bowl sounds elaborate, but it's not so time consuming. 

My hubby loved this burrito bowl very much it was just restaurant style, finger licking. It's packed with flavors and an explosion of taste in the mouth as soon as to spoon in, a tangy, a bit of sour, spicy, juicy, cheesy and super tasty, delicious burrito bowl.

The Guacamole is a twist of taste, a tex mex cuisine, Indo Mexican. I have used a typical Indian spice with avocado and it takes this to a different level. I would say spicy and finger licking Guacamole. 

So let's start with our delicious  meal Mexican Vegetarian Burrito Bowl...

Serves 3 - 4
Ingredients

For Lemony Minty Rice
2 Cups Rice - washed and boiled
1/4 Cup Packed Mint leaves - torn into pieces
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
Salt to taste

For Guacamole - Indo Mexican Style 

Makes One Cup 
2 Hass Avocados
1 Small White Onion - chopped
2 Green chillies - chopped
1 Teaspoon Grated Ginger
2 Big Cloves Garlic - grated
1/4 Cup Packed Fresh Green Coriander leaves - chopped
1- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A Juice of One Small Lemon
1/4 Teaspoon Black pepper powder
1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste

Roasted Tomato Salsa Sauce - Vegan & Gluten Free

Onion And Bell Pepper Mix

1/2 Cup Chopped Onions
1/2 Cup Green Bell pepper or  Coloured Bell peppers
1/2 Teaspoon Black pepper powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 

Other Ingredients 

1 Cup Boiled Red Kidney Beans

1 Cup Boiled Black Eyed Peas

1/2 Cup Boiled Corn Kernels
1/2 Cup Chopped Romaine Lettuce Leaves
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Method 

Wash and soak 1/2 cup each of dried red kidney beans and black eyed beans separately for 4 hours. 

Then pressure cook the red kidney beans with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 cups of water for one whistle on high flame then reduce to flame to low and keep it for 10 minutes. The red kidney bean are boiled to perfection. When the cooker cools down drain the liquid since we require only the red kidney beans. Keep this aside in a bowl.

In the same cooker place the black eyed peas and a cup of water with 1/4 teaspoon salt and take one whistle on high flame. Cool the cooker, drain the liquid since we require only the black eyed peas. Keep this aside in a bowl. This too is ready.

In the same cooker place the corn and a cup of water with 1/4 teaspoon salt and take one whistle on high flame. Cool the cooker and remove the corn. Take out the corn kernels and and keep it aside. This too is ready.

For Lemony Minty Rice

Wash and soak the rice then boil it till done. Drain all the excess water / starch. Add the torn mint leaves and lemon juice in it and give it a good mix. Keep this covered. 

Let's prepare Guacamole  - Indo Mexican Style 

In a blender jar take all the given ingredients with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and blend it to a smooth paste. Remove this in a serving bowl and drizzle the remaining tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil  on it so that it doesn't change the color - it remains green. Guacamole is ready.

For the Onion Bell Pepper Mix

Heat oil in a pan and saute chopped onions and bell pepper until soft. Add black pepper and salt to taste in it and turn the flame off. So here you have your fried Onion and bell pepper mix ready.

Keep two bowls ready. Since we are two I made two bowls only for lunch, the remaining we will have it for dinner.
Now all our ingredients are ready. Let's arrange these on the table.
For our Burrito bowl
1 Cup Boiled Red Kidney Beans
1 Cup Boiled Black Eyed Peas
1/2 Cup Boiled Corn Kernels
1/2 Cup Chopped Lettuce Leaves
1/2 Cup Chopped Onions
1 Cup Sour Cream,
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Guacamole  - Indo Mexican Style 
Roasted Tomato Salsa Sauce
Lemony Minty Rice
Onion And Bell Pepper Mix 

In a serving bowl, spread the rice ( according to your requirement) 

Top it with boiled black eyed beans & red kidney beans

Now the Onion and Pepper mixture

Shredded cheddar cheese and

3 Tablespoons  Roasted Tomato Salsa Sauce

3  Tablespoons Guacamole  - Indo Mexican Style 

3 Tablespoons  Sour Cream

Shredded Romaine lettuce 

Boiled Corn kernels

Garnish this layer with some more shredded cheese

And here we are ready our Burrito bowl, just dig your spoon into the bowl and enjoy this satiating  meal burrito bowl, full of flavors and nutrients.

Lables : Mexican, Burrito Bowl, One Dish Meal, Main course, Guacamole, Roasted Tomato Salsa Sauce, Lemony Minty Rice, Sour Cream, Sweet Corn, Red Kidney Beans, Black Eyed Peas, Vegetarian, Improv  Cooking Challenge 

March Improv Cooking Challenge

Beans and Rice
• • Chicken Burrito Bowls by Cookaholic Wife
  • Southern Style Red Beans and Brown Rice by Pandemonium Noshery
  • Taco Rice by Making Miracles
  • Southwest Chicken and Rice Soup by Palatable Pastime
  • Rajma Chawal (Indian Style Bean Curry with Steamed Rice) by Sizzling Tastebuds
  • Greek Cauliflower Rice and Chickpeas by Kate’s Recipe Box
  • Menestra de Porotos by A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Mexican Vegetarian Burrito Bowl by Sneha's Recipe