올해 초에 텍사스로 처음 놀러왔을 때 매일같이 먹던 멕시칸식 음식, 특히 black beans 또는 refried beans 는 소화도 참 잘 된다는 것을 배웠다.
Bean basics for both dried pinto beans and black beans:
How to store beans
Keep dried beans in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year. The older the beans, the longer they take to cook.
How to soak beans
The easiest way to soak beans is to cover 1 pound of beans with 8 cups cold water in a big pot or Dutch oven and let them sit overnight. For same-day results, combine the beans and water in the pot and bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans well.
Tip: Add a pinch of salt to the soaking water to make the beans softer. Make sure to rinse the beans well since salt will toughen the beans as they cook.
How to cook dried beans
Cook the beans according to your recipe. Or place the soaked and rinsed beans back in the pot and cover with 8 cups fresh water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 75 to 90 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
Tips: To speed up cooking, add ½ teaspoon baking soda to the cooking water.
For the best flavor and texture, cook beans the day before they are served and allow them to cool in their cooking liquid. This allows more time for the flavor to develop and for the beans to soak up some of the liquid. Though it's ideal to soak the beans until the water is cool, you don't have to cool completely before draining.
Using canned beans: It's quick and convenient to cook with canned beans. Rinse and drain the beans before cooking since the liquid in canned beans is typically high in sodium.
How to make refried beans
Refried beans are not actually fried -- they're cooked twice, a process that gives them their flavor. Use refried beans as a side dish, as a dip for tortilla chips, or as a filling for tostadas, burritos, and enchiladas. You can use homemade and canned refried beans interchangeably.
1. Soak and drain ½ pound pinto beans as directed above.
2. Cook the beans (following directions above) for 2-½ to 3 hours or until the beans are very tender.
3. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid.
4. In a saucepan cook garlic in olive oil.
5. Add the beans and mash them with a potato masher.
6. Stir in just enough of the reserved cooking liquid to make the beans smooth and pastelike.
7. Continue to cook until thick, stirring often to avoid sticking and scorching.
8. If desired, top refried beans with shredded cheese, snipped cilantro, or chopped green onion.
집에 만들어 놓으면, 사 먹는 딥 대신에 칩과 함께 먹으면 좋겠다.
(Photo: bhg)
