Arroz pintado

🍚 Tomato rice dotted with fully cooked beans, served warm in four portions.

Ingredients

• 250 g dry white long-grain rice
• 250 g fully cooked red or black beans, drained weight
• 250 g ripe chopped tomatoes
• 1 onion, 100 g, sliced
• 1 chopped garlic clove
• 30 ml oil
• 400 ml hot water initially, plus a little according to rice
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon salt, adjusted
• Black pepper to taste

Preparation

Rinse rice and drain well. Check beans are fully cooked; rinse canned beans if needed and drain.

Heat oil in a heavy lidded saucepan. Soften onion 5 minutes, then garlic and bay for 30 seconds.

Add tomatoes and cook 6–8 minutes until reduced and soft, without much free water.

Stir in rice for 1 minute. Add 400 ml hot water, a little salt and pepper; bring to a simmer.

Cover over low heat for about 10 minutes. Gently fold in cooked beans, cover and cook 5–8 minutes more or according to rice.

Check tenderness and liquid. If firm and dry, add a little hot water and cook covered. Once done, turn off heat and rest covered 5 minutes.

Remove bay, fluff with a fork, taste, adjust salt and serve four portions hot.