Cookbook:Saffron Rice and Beans

| Vegetarian | Vegan Cuisine

This recipe originally started as a vegetarian approximation to paella. It has since diverged from its resemblance to paella.

Ingredients

 * ½ cup olive oil
 * 1 tablespoon curry powder
 * 1 small potato, sliced extremely thin
 * 1 big onion, cut into chunks or sliced thin
 * 2–3 red bell peppers, sliced
 * 1–3 tomatoes, cut into cubes or slices
 * 5–10 cloves garlic
 * 2 tablespoon pine nuts
 * 1 tablespoon caraway
 * 1–3 tablespoon ground oregano
 * 1–2 tablespoon ground chile or chile powder
 * 1 tablespoon paprika
 * 1–2 pinch(es) saffron
 * 1 tablespoon cumin
 * 1 cup basmati rice
 * ½ cup red wine
 * 1 cube vegetarian bouillon
 * 1 can black beans
 * Cheese (Parmesan or cotija work best)

Procedure

 * 1) Heat the olive oil in a very large saucepan.
 * 2) When oil is hot, add curry powder, potatoes, onions, red peppers, and tomatoes. Stir and fry until potatoes are nearly done.
 * 3) Reduce heat, then stir in crushed garlic, pine nuts, caraway, half the dried oregano, and chili powder.
 * 4) In a separate pot (with a lid) bring 1 ¾ cup water to a boil.
 * 5) While waiting for water to boil, make a rice spice mix from paprika, pinch of saffron, cumin, and remaining oregano.
 * 6) Mix rice spice mix with basmati rice.
 * 7) When water has begun to boil, reduce heat, add rice and rice spice mix. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
 * 8) Add wine and bouillon cube to the tomato mixture, stir, and turn the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, while the rice is cooking.
 * 9) Let rice simmer for another 10 minutes, then remove from the heat.
 * 10) When the contents of the saucepan appear to be frying again instead of simmering, stir in the rice.
 * 11) When liquid is absorbed by rice, stir in the beans.
 * 12) Turn off heat and serve with cheese.

Notes, tips, and variations

 * For a vegan variation, serve without cheese.
 * This dish is easier to cook if the potatoes are left out altogether.
 * Most vegetables go well in this dish. Feel free to chop up any vegetable and throw it in the pan during the initial frying stage.