Rice and Beans

I can eat this rice all by itself right now.  This was one of the first dishes I learned to cook with my mom.  Rice is always great as a side dish with your favorite protein.

You can always substitute the beans for any other beans you enjoy.  Sometimes I like to add diced Kielbasa to the rice and it gives it even more flavor.  During the holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, we cook rice and instead of beans we add Pigeon Peas.

I use a caldero (cast aluminum pot)  to make the rice.  That's how it's made in Puerto Rico.  But you can use a sauce pot...but nothing stainless steel as the rice might get stuck to the bottom and burn.

The texture of the rice is perfect.  Rice is tender, but fluffy and full of flavor.  Enjoy!!

Ingredients

3 cups rice

1 can of red beans-drained

2 cups of water

1 tbsp of salt

3 tbsp of oil
3 tbsp sofrito sauce

4 ounces tomato sauce

1 Goya Sazon Packet-Coriander and Annatto

1 Goya Chicken Bouillon Packet

In a pot on medium heat add the beans, sofrito sauce, tomato sauce, oil, Sazon packet, chicken bouillon packet, and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the water, rice and salt. Cook on medium heat until the water evaporates about 3-5 minutes.

Stir rice and pile in the middle of the pot.  Cover pot and set to simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, until rice is nice and tender.  You can stir the rice again after 20 minutes.  But, DO NOT, stir the rice too much if you want fluffy rice.  Stirring to much will give you mushy rice..and that's not what you want.   Enjoy with your favorite protein.

Tip: You can substitute the red beans, for Pigeon Peas, Garbanzo beans, or any other beans of your preference.