Preparation of Pinto Beans
Pinto beans are a rich source of proteins and are relatively easy to prepare. In addition, they are cheaper than most protein sources and are available in many stores all over the world. Before one starts cooking pinto beans, it is important to sort them so as to get rid of any rock particles or any other dirt that needs to be taken out. This can be done by pouring a few cups of beans onto a table and sort the beans one by one.
After sorting out the beans and removing rock particles put them inside a colander then wash them with plenty of water preferably under the faucet in the sink for about a minute, letting the water run through them. To ensure that the pinto beans are clean, hold the colander using one hand and run the other hand through the beans to remove soil particles. This is why it is important to run them under running water. That way, one is sure that no soil or stone particles are left.
Pinto beans in ceramic
Because the beans are hard, it might take long before they cook. To reduce this time, it is important to soak them in water overnight. This has been known to reduce the cooking time by half. However, do not soak for too long as the beans might lose some of their nutritional value.
Pinto beans can be boiled or stewed. There are many variations for making the beans. This recipe is on how to cook pinto beans with meat and served with white or brown bread.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1kg sliced meat.
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 3 chopped tomatoes and or 3 tablespoons tomato paste.
- 2 cups drained Pinto Beans
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Procedure
- Heat cooking oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook until golden brown.
- Add the chopped meat and dry fry until all water has vaporized and the meat is no longer pink in color.
- Add the tomatoes or tomato paste, salt and black pepper.
- Stir for approximately 3 minutes
- Add the Pinto Beans.
- Stir it in with the other ingredients and leave to simmer under low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve with a salad or white/brown bread. This meal serves 3 to 6 people.