I was fond of rice and beans before moving to Brazil, but I must admit that they typically came from a can and a box which often had the term “instant” or “minute” somewhere on it.
I have yet to find someone here to show me the proper way to make Brazilian rice and beans. It seems to be a method and recipe you are born with and few people my age or younger prepare them. Through my own trial and error I’ve got the rice pretty well down, but the beans remain a mystery. I do know many people use pressure cookers, but others don’t. I remain in the camp that doesn’t because they scare me a bit.
The first time I made my own rice and beans here I patterned it off a recipe from the Joy of Cooking Cookbook for Brazilian Black Beans. Funny thing is I’ve never had any beans here that taste anything like that recipe. Maybe they are like that in the north, I’m not sure. I think they were trying to mimic feijoada, but that isn’t it either. Over time I’ve taken that recipe and added my own touches to create rice and beans that I’m happy with.
I made them yesterday and realized I’d never shared it before so here you go. The beans are mildly spicy which I enjoy. A great addition would be some chopped jalapenos or you could use some colored bell peppers as well. Black beans are used for feijoada, but when it comes to plain rice and beans a red/white bean is used. I’ve asked friends here what kind of beans they are and the response I typically get is, “I don’t know, they are beans.”
Rice and Beans (The Not-Quite-Brazilian Version)
4 cups red/white beans, soaked overnight in 8 cups water
8 cups water
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp cumin
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
½ tsp hot paprika
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Juice of one lime
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water
For the beans:
Drain beans and return to cooking pot. Cover in 8 cups of water, bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 ½ hours.
Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a sauce pan and cook onion, green pepper and garlic until tender. Stir in cumin, red pepper, paprika, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Usually at about 1 hour 15 minutes the liquid is about gone in my beans. At this point I add the chicken stock. At 1 ½ hours I add the onions and peppers, then cook for an additional 30 minutes or until tender.
Once cooked squeeze the juice of one lime over the beans and mix in. This makes a lot of beans likely enough to feed six.
For the rice:
In a deep pan, heat olive oil, add rice and cook for about two minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes. *You may need to double the recipe to have enough for all your beans. I tend to use my beans in soups and wraps too so I don’t need a lot of rice.
My brother’s wife is Brazilian and rice-and-beans is a staple in their house. I really must find out what her formula is, but it just mainly seems to involve beans and garlic and always tastes very good. She does use a pressure cooker (as I do myself) and I’m fairly certain that the beans she most often uses are black turtle beans. I will report back when I know more 🙂
sounds great I put pepper in mine, quite similar love it with plantain and egg he he
I am trying to increase protein but not willing to give up carbs 🙂 so this would be perfect. Thank you! I love that you hunt down the truly authentic recipes.
I’ve only had this one time and have been craving it ever since .Yummy recipe- love beans!
Lori! Totally randomly I started soaking some beans yesterday afternoon (black beans) because I’m trying to go all veggie this week. I was hoping something might inspire me and you have. Rice and beans for dinner tomorrow and beans will already be ready!
Looks delicious! I love rice and beans!
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This looks like a great one for the crockpot! It has a nice mix of flavors to it – looks delicious!
I was trying to describe feijoada to my blog friends, who were suitably horrified, so I posted my ‘gringo’ version. Perfect winter comfort food! I like your twist on the rice and beans. I’ll try it.
http://tintalasia.multiply.com/tag/feijoada
Rice and beans look delicious! I like the addition of a green pepper or a jalapeno!
hi lori this rice n beans looks just like our north Indian rajma chawal….rajma is a spicy curry made with red kidney beans and chawal is simple boiled rice…..the look of the finished recipe is exactly the same…..i love rajma chawal and your version look very appetizing too…..
Daily Spud – I’d love to know the answer. I probably just need to find a good picture book and match up the dry beans with something.
Chow & Chatter – Sounds good. Can you get plantain around the States? I haven’t seen it around here, but love it when we are in the Caribbean.
laura – Definitely a great option, rice and beans of any kind. I try, but as in this case, I’m not always successful.
Erica – You need to make yourself some! 🙂
gastroanthro – So glad this had good timing. 🙂 Hope they turn out well.
Reeni – I’m looking forward to getting back to a crockpot in a few months.
Tint – Thanks for your recipe. Feijoada is something I haven’t attempted. I’m not a huge fan due to all the animal parts. Our friends keep telling us that we need to eat it out at a higher quality restaurant b/c they seperate out all the parts. It’s funny bc everyone here tells us to try it and yet they tell us they only eat their grandmothers, not out at restaurants.
5 Star – I love mine spicy. Hot sauce is always good on them too.
sangeeta – I love curries of all kinds so I would love that dish you described.
Lori, I would *never* eat it at a restaurant and would also think twice about eating it at someone’s grandmother’s house. I want to know what it is in it before I touch it. My version is most certainly devoid of ‘interesting bits’ 😉
Sounds like a great recipe for rice & beans!
Delicious! I love any type of beans.
Do you have a good recipe for feijoada?
“I don’t know they are beans” hahaha love it!
Lovely!We make a similar dish with most beans,but we add tomatoes/tomato puree and a wee bit of garam masala. Goes well with chapathi/tortillas too.
Tint – Ha, ha! I will have to try your recipe. I’m a big fan of no “interesting bits” 🙂
kat – I enjoy it. Not exactly authentic, but tasty.
Alison – I don’t, but Tint listed hers in the comments. She lives in Sao Paulo. http://tintalasia.multiply.com/tag/feijoada
I follow some Brazilian recipe sites on Twitter. I’m sure I could find you one.
Michelle – That is seriously, but I’ve been told. Ha! Honestly, finding out how to make some things has been rather frustrating. Not as easy as I imagined. My friend here did email me after seeing the post and promised to show me rice and beans, though. 🙂
Sweta – That sounds great. Mmm…tortillas. I wish so much those were the norm here. I found them for the first time last week I think it was a six pack of basic flour ones for about 9USD. 🙁
You hit my sweet spot – rice and beans! I lovelovelove all variations but feijoada has to be my favorite. My friend Cris at From Our Brazilian Home to Yours gave me her ‘Americanized’ version and I make it often. However, we recently ate at a Brazilian cafe and they served a dish that looks much like this one. The hubs enjoyed it tremendously so thank you for posting this!
BTW, I join you in the ‘scared of pressure cookers’ camp. 8-D
Oh, how I long to visit Brazil some day . . .!
Im so plain (an eater…not in all my life) that that is my IDEAL rice and beans recipe!!
Tangled Noodle – I hope you get the chance some day. It sounds like you would love everything here. I need to try my own feijoada sometime, but eating out means the risk of a pig ear floating in my bowl and as cultural as that is I’m not sure I could stomach it. Ha, ha! I do love the vegetarian feijoada that I get here at a veggie por kilo buffet.
Miz – Rice and beans does have the plain, yet-so-exciting appeal. 🙂
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