Cumin Rice and Black Beans
A savory one-pot rice and black beans cooked in the pressure cooker, with cumin bloomed in hot oil and garlic and onion softened until sweet. It is a simple, filling bowl of seasoned rice and tender beans.
- Total
- 36 min
- Prep 8 · Cook 18 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Blooming spices · Sweating
- Savory
- Mexican
- Pressure cooker
Instructions
-
Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well.
~6 min
Rinsing removes surface starch so the rice cooks up fluffy instead of gluey.
-
Set the pressure cooker to the sauté setting and add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the cumin and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant and slightly darkened. Do not let it burn.
~2 min
Blooming cumin in hot oil releases its fat-soluble aromas, deepening flavor; burning turns it acrid.
Toasting the cumin in the oil for just 30 seconds wakes up its oils and gives the rice a warm, nutty base. If it smells acrid, the oil is too hot, so pull the pot off the heat and start again.
Blooming spices Heat oil until shimmering, add ground cumin, and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant and slightly darkened. Pull off heat if it smells acrid.
-
Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
~5 min
Sweating onion first builds sweetness; adding garlic later prevents it from burning and turning bitter.
Sweating Cook onion over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes, without browning. Add garlic only for the last minute to avoid burning.
-
Stir in the rice, black beans, salt and black pepper. Pour in 180 ml water and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift any browned bits.
~2 min
Scraping up browned bits (deglazing) dissolves fond into the liquid, adding savory depth to the rice.
-
Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully open the valve to release any remaining pressure.
~16 min
Natural release lets pressure and temperature drop gradually, preventing starchy liquid from erupting.
-
Open the lid and let the rice stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a wooden spoon and taste, adding a pinch more salt if needed.
~5 min
Standing lets residual steam finish cooking and firm the grains; fluffing separates them without mashing.