Ingredients to make Congri (rice with beans):
- 180g dried black beans
- 2 liters of water
- 21/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 sprig of finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 green bell pepper finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- a piece of lean salt pork cut into small cubes
- 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 1/4 red chilli seeded and finely chopped
- 2 chopped onions
- 750g of rice
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
How to make Congri (rice with beans):
- Wash the beans in a colander under running water until the water runs clear.
- Place them in a large pot with 4 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of salt, the thyme and half of the green pepper.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, and simmer 3 hours or until beans are tender.
- Add more water if it evaporates too much. Drain the cooked beans and reserve the water to boil the rice.
- Remove 1 tablespoon of beans and pound them in a mortar until you get a fine paste.
- In a large skillet with hot oil, fry the pork until it is crisp and all the fat has been released.
- Remove the meat from the heat and let it drain on kitchen paper.
- Reserve it, sauté the garlic, the rest of the green pepper, the chilli and the onion in the pan for 5 minutes, stirring constantly
- Add the bean purée, the remaining beans, and the pork.
- Lower the heat and let it all boil uncovered for about 10 minutes
- Transfer all these ingredients to the pot with the bean water and add the rice, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt and black pepper.
- Bring everything to a boil, stirring constantly to mix all the ingredients, let it boil for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the liquid has evaporated.
- Taste it, rectify salt.
- It is served immediately.
