Caribbean Black Beans with Coconut Rice
I try not to cook much on the weekends. I like to grab a late lunch after yoga and just toss together a Mezze Board and glass of wine for dinner. The kids have to eat up the leftovers from the previous week or get an invite somewhere more appealing than my kitchen. This weekend was the exception. As I was walking by the Veg sellers loudly calling out their veg for sale I heard “get your plantains here”. I love plantains. In Costa Rica, I have them every morning with beans and rice. I just couldn’t pass them up despite the fact that it was Saturday and I wasn’t cooking. The fruit stall had fresh, soft beautiful mangos, so Saturday dinner evolved. Find Plantains that are just a bit soft to the touch and beautifully yellow; you can use Bananas but it is just not the same. Caribbean Black Beans with Coconut Rice & Fried Plantains are so fast and easy with the pressure cooker that I made an exception for Saturday cooking. The rice is fluffy with just a hint of sweet coconut. Use the Quick Soak Pressure Cooker Beans method and no pre planning is necessary. You can use canned beans if you absolutely must, just heat them gently. Cook the Plantains up in pure Coconut Oil.
Caribbean Black Beans with Coconut Rice and Fried Plantains
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 6 servings
Use a pressure cooker for absolutely gorgeous Black Beans. Use the fast soak pressure cooker method if you haven't presoaked your beans and these cook in 15 minutes. The smoked Sea Salt adds great depth to the flavor of the beans. You can also pre-soak the beans and simmer for 2 hours or so. You can use canned Black Beans, just sauté the vegetables and spices and warm gently.
Ingredients
Coconut Rice
- 1 1/2 cup Coconut Milk
- 1 1/2 cup Water
- 1 1/2 cup Basmati Rice, rinsed several times
Beans
- 1lb Black Turtle Beans or Small Black Beans, soaked and rinsed
- 4-6 cups Veggie Broth
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Whole Cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1-2 teaspoon Smoked Sea Salt
- few grinds of Black Pepper
- Olive Oil
- 1 Red Pepper, chopped
- 1 Onion, chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup Orange Juice
- 3 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar or Balsamic Vinegar
- Lime Juice
- Cilantro
- Hot Peppers,sliced
- 1-2 soft, ripe Mangos, diced
- 2 large soft Plantains, sliced on the diagonal (can use Bananas if you must)
- Coconut Oil
- Shredded Coconut
Instructions
- Mix the water and coconut milk
- Bring to a boil and stir in the rice. Reduce to simmer, cover and cook 20 min. Alternatively, use a rice cooker
- While rice is cooking, add soaked Beans and Bay Leaf to pressure cooker, cover with broth by 2in
- Bring to high pressure and cook for 8-10 minutes, release pressure naturally or quick release
- Make the Sofrito by heating a heavy skillet, add the spices and salt, toast and stir until fragrant
- Add a splash of Olive Oil, Garlic, Onions, Peppers and sauté until soft, about five minutes
- Add the Vinegar and Orange Juice and simmer 5 minutes until reduced and veg are soft
- Stir the Sofrito into the Beans and bring back up to high pressure for a few more minutes (depending on doneness of the beans) you want them whole and soft, not mushy so you may have to gauge the cooking time based on how firm they were on the first round of cooking, alternatively, simmer over low heat until they are just right in texture
- Heat a small blob of coconut oil until very hot but not smoking, add the Plantains and fry until crispy and brown and then turn and brown the other side
- Serve the Beans over the rice with a sprinkle of Cilantro, a Squeeze of Lime, sprinkle of Coconut if you like, chopped Mangos and the Fried Plantains.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Use the Sauté feature and heat a splash of Olive Oil until hot
- Saute the Onions, Peppers, Garlic and Spices until soft, 3-5 minutes
- Add the Orange Juice and Vinegar
- Add the pre soaked Beans, Bay Leaf and enough Broth to cover the Beans by 1 inch
- Switch to Manual, Lock the pressure valve and dial pressure time to 7 minutes
- Let pressure come down naturally for 5 minutes then release the rest by turning the valve to release the remaining pressure
Notes
Instant Pot Cooking
- Use the Saute function and saute the Onions, Garlic and Peppers for 2-3 minutes
- Add the Spices, Orange Juice and Vinegar and Saute a few more minutes
- Add the Broth and soaked and rinsed Beans
- Switch to Manual mode, lock the pressure valve and add 5 minutes cooking time
- Let pressure come down naturally 5 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure
- Serve over Coconut Rice with a squeeze of Lime, Shredded Coconut and chopped Mangos.
Caribbean Black Beans and Coconut Rice
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