frijoles

Recipe origin: Mexico

A pot of beans can be found simmering on the back burner in most Mexican kitchens. They may be eaten with any meal of the day, including breakfast.

Ingredients

• 2 cups pinto beans
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely-chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed or minced
• 3 Tablespoons chili powder
• Salt

Procedure

1. Place beans in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Allow them to soak overnight.
2. When ready to cook, drain, rinse, and cover the beans again in cold water.
3. Place the pot on the stove over medium to high heat and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes.
4. Turn off heat, remove the pot, and carefully drain the beans by pouring them into a colander placed in the kitchen sink.
5. Rinse beans with cold water. Return beans to the pot and once again cover them with cold water.
6. Add the onion, garlic, and chili powder.
7. Cook over medium heat until most of the water has been absorbed and the onion is soft. Add salt to taste.

Serve as a side dish with tacos, or as a main dish with warmed corn tortillas.

Mexican; dish of boiled fava or lima (butter) beans which have been left to cool, then fried. Also known as refried beans.

[free-hoh-lehs] Spanish for "beans".