Beans and Rice

Beans and Rice (or Rice and Beans) is a nutritious and economical dish. Beans and rice have probably been cooked and eaten together since prehistoric times. Even before the beginning of the agricultural era, wild grains and legumes may have been cooked this way. Cooking the beans and rice in the same pot (after giving the beans a head start) is likely the original cooking method.
field work, guinee

What you need

* one or two cups (up to a pound) dried beans or peas (such as kidney beans, red beans, black-eyed peas, pigeon peas, or split green peas, or similar)
* one cup uncooked rice, rinsed and drained
* salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper or red pepper (to taste)

What you do

* Clean, rinse, and soak the beans or peas in cold water for three or four hours or overnight. Drain.
* In a large cooking pot, combine the beans with enough cold water to cover them by two inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (approximately one hour).
* Stir in rice. (There should be between two and three cups cooking liquid in the pot -- if desired, the cooking liquid can be poured from the cooking pot into a bowl, measured, hot water added if necessary, and then returned to the pot with the rice.) Season to taste.
* Cover and cook until rice is done and all liquid has been absorbed (about twenty minutes). Remove from heat and let stand uncovered for five minutes before serving.
* Fluff with a fork, serve hot, as a side dish, or with any dish that is accompanied by white rice.

In Ghana, beans and rice is called wakye or waakye. It is served as a side dish with meat and gravy, fried fish, hard-boiled egg, or alone -- but almost always with Shitor Din. Baking soda is sometimes used in place of salt. A richer dish can be obtained by adding coconut milk at the end.

The basic beans and rice recipe is the distant ancestor of dozens of bean stews found in Africa, Europe, and the Americas, including Red Beans and Rice (Louisiana); Hoppin' John (Southeastern U.S.); Peas and Rice (Caribbean); Moros y Cristianos (Spain, Cuba, Mexico); and Feijoada (Brazil).

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