Arroz Congri/Vegan Cuban Red Kidney Beans Rice

Arroz Congri/Congris is typically a Cuban black beans rice,though many different variations do exists and one among is this red beans and rice version. Congri is prepared mostly with meat especially pork, but i opted for vegetarian version actually a vegan one. However i followed this recipe, this red beans and rice is from eastern part of Cuba, though many people consider this dish as a signature dish of Oriente province. Traditionally this rice dish is cooked with fat from pork meat and ham is added to the rice to make this dish as a complete meal. However this vegan version tastes simply fabulous and quite nutritious to enjoy as a main course with some grilled vegetables or pan fried potatoes. Since this dish calls for long grain rice, you can also serve this red beans rice a salad.

The original recipe used green bellpepper to add the colour to this Congri, which i replaced with red bell pepper chunks. With simple spices and easily available ingredients, you can dish out this Cuban red beans rice with less efforts. Oregano and cumin seeds gives a wonderful aroma to this vegan rice. Though this rice calls for red beans, you can prepare your own cooked red kidney beans or else go with the canned ones. As i dont like the canned ones, i opted for soaked and cooked kidney beans. We enjoyed thoroughly this rice with some pan fried potates, everyone at home loved it to the core. Hence am posting this nutritious meal for this week's blogging marathon as am running with 5 ingredients for 5 weeks and am showcasing a Dry bean/Legume every week. And this week's dry bean is Rajma/Kidney Beans/Red Kidney Beans.

2cups Cooked Red Kidney beans
1cup Long grain rice
1no Tomato (chopped)
1no Onion (chopped finely)
1 Red bell pepper (diced as small pieces)
3 Garlic cloves (minced)
1no Bay leaf
1/2tsp Dried Oregano
1/2tsp Cumin powder
Salt
Pepper powder
Olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the bay leaf  and fry until it turns brown.

Add chopped garlic,fry until it turns brown. Now add the chopped onions and saute until onion turns translucent.

Add the chopped bell pepper, chopped tomato, and saute until pepper is soft and tomato turns mushy.

Add the red kidney beans, rice, oregano,salt, pepper powder, cumin powder,saute for a while. Now add in the water and bring to boil,put the flame to low.

Cover the pan and let it cook in simmer until the rice gets well cooked.

Remove the pan and fluff gently the rice with a fork.

Serve hot.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68
An InLinkz Link-up