Black Bean Salad

This is a quick variation on the ever popular three bean salad - with a kick.

Ingredients

• 1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)
• i can corn (drained)
• 1 red pepper (diced)
• 1 bunch cilantro (chopped finely)
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 fresh lime
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Mix dressing.
2. Toss veg mixture.
3. Pour dressing over vegs.
4. Toss again.
5. Chill in refrigerator, if you can wait.

Guacamole

Guacamole is one of my favourite appetisers, to enjoy at a typical Mexican restaurant.


It's not hard to make, as long as you get the avocado ripe!


Ingredients

• 1 large / 2 medium ripe avocado
• 1 lime / 1/4 C lime juice
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 medium onion (red is preferred, i used white)
• 1 roma tomato
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Cut the avocado(s) in half, remove pit(s), scrape contents into mixing bowl.
2. Dice avocado, using a nice sharp knife, in mixing bowl. No mess, knife goes right through.
3. Immediately add lime juice, to keep avocado green, and mix well.
4. Smash, then mince garlic, mix into diced avocado.
5. Dice jalapeno and onion, mix into avocado mix.
6. Dice tomato, mix into avocado mix.
7. Chop cilantro, mix into avocado mix.
8. Add salt, to taste.
9. Garnish with a couple cilantro stalks, and some tomato (or a splash of Mae Ploy), and serve.

Thai Style Peanut Sauce

Thai Style peanut sauce is a tasty addition to many quick meals. I keep a pint in the refrigerator, for anything that needs a kick.

Ingredients

• 1/4 C peanut butter
• 1 serrano chili pepper, carefully and finely minced (**)
• 2 T Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1 t brown sugar
• 1 T sesame paste (Tahini)
• 2 T sesame or vegetable oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 t ginger powder
• 1/4 C yogurt - plain, unsweetened

Preparation

1. Mix all ingredients, adding chili sauce, soy sauce, oil, and lime juice a bit at a time, and to taste, until the mixture is thin enough to pour.
2. Make it thin, to marinate cucumber slices - medium thick, to use as salad dressing - or really thick, to use as dip for sourdough bread, or taco chips.
3. The one rule is that you should make it in quantity, because it will be eaten in quantity.

Inspired by Season With Spice: Easy Thai Peanut Sauce - and limited by reality (and what I had in my kitchen).

(**) Follow Safety Precautions when you prepare this, please.

More New Spices

I ran out of dried mint a month ago, and I've been waiting to get another bag. I finally got the opportunity to visit my favorite Middle Eastern grocery, this week.


A huge bag of dried mint, for $3.00 ($20.00 worth, at a supermarket). Plus caraway, cardamom, and ginger root.

I'll buy spices in plastic bags, especially at these prices - but I hate storing spices in the bags, when I have this collection of empty spice jars. The jars are way more convenient to open, when I cook.

This is at least $50.00 at supermarket prices (except you can't get black caraway, anywhere). At Afghan Market in Concord, this was just over $10.00.

Unlike my last spice purchase, I know everything here. The black caraway is an essential in my chili and similar dishes - Cuban Style Black Beans, for instance. And the mint will go into a lot of dishes - including the Sesame Mint Rice.

A most satisfying afternoon shopping.

California Style Lime Peanut Bean Curry

Beans and peanut curry are a great combination. Dried beans keep forever in the pantry - and can be used easily in an emergency.

This is similar to California style red beans - except the flavourings use a curry powder base, instead of chili powder - and the lime / peanut butter. And, it takes some from the Cuban style black beans - except the sour black beans use an orange, but the red beans are sweeter and use a lime.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour.

• 1 lb dried red beans
• 2 - 3 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/4" sections
• 3 - 4 cloves of garlic, chopped, 1//4" squares
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped, 1/4" squares
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t coriander
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1 t curry powder
• 1 t garam masala
• 1 T ginger
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/4 t tumeric
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 C peanut butter
• 1 lime, scrubbed and whole

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices. Do not add lime, peanut butter, or tomato sauce, yet.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. 2 - 3 hours gives me what I like - I suspect that you can't overcook this recipe, as long as you add water periodically. Sample beans and sauce, an hour after start.
6. If the beans and spices make you sneeze, you have just enough spices. The peanut butter and tomato sauce will bring the spice level down.
7. At 1 1/2 hours, the beans will be chewy. Add peanut butter, using a fork, stir until dissolved and mixed. Then add tomato sauce and the lime, stir again.
8. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
9. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
10. Serve over Bengali style sesame mint rice, with sourdough bread.
11. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.

California Style Red Beans

This is similar to Cuban style black beans - except the flavourings use a chili powder base, instead of curry powder.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour.

• 1 lb dried red beans
• 1 - 2 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/4" sections
• 2 - 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 2 bay leaves, whole
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 t Kashmiri chili powder
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t mustard
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/4 t tumeric
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. 2 hours gives me what I like.
6. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
7. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
8. Serve over Bengali style sesame mint rice, with sourdough bread. Garnish / mix with mango salsa.
9. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.

Cuban Style Black Beans

This is quick, and easy to fix.


Don't rinse the beans, any more than necessary.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour. That may be the missing ingredient, that I have not found - until yesterday.

• 4 C dried / 4 x 14 oz cans / 1 lb dried black beans
• 3 - 4 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/2" sections
• 3 - 4 cloves of garlic, quartered
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 orange, scrubbed and whole (opt)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 2 bay leaves, whole
• 1 t caraway seeds (black caraway is best)
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1 t cilantro
• 1 t cumin
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce (opt)

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add orange (opt), vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. Most recipes claim 1 1/2 hours - I decided 2 - 3 hours gives me what I like.
6. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
7. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
8. Serve over Bengali style rice, with sourdough bread. Garnish / mix with mango salsa.
9. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.