Rice with beans and tomatoes

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 cup rice
• 1 can kidney beans
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 2 ½ cups water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• salt and pepper
• possibly tomato paste
• possibly bacon

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Arroz e feijao – the Brazilian national dish

Heat the olive oil in a pot. Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic and onion and sauté them in the olive oil. Dice the tomatoes and sauté them briefly in the pot. Add a cup of water and simmer for a few minutes. If the tomatoes are quite watery and bland, you can add a heaped tablespoon of tomato paste. Add the rice and another cup of water and simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes. Add the beans, bring to the desired consistency with the remaining water, and simmer for another 10-12 minutes. Just before the end of the cooking time, season with salt, pepper, and cumin. If you want to serve this dish as a main course rather than as a side dish, you can add a handful of finely chopped bacon strips to the pot with the beans. Be careful with the cumin; it has a very strong flavor. It’s better to add small amounts and season frequently. The cups used to measure the water and rice should be the same size. An extremely simple, inexpensive, delicious, healthy, and filling dish with practically nothing that can go wrong. Perfect for first-time cooks, but also appealing to even the most discerning palate.