Black Bean and Sweet Potato Rice Bowl with Lime
A light Mexican-inspired rice bowl: cumin-free black beans and caramelized sweet potato over fluffy rice, finished with avocado, coriander and a squeeze of lime.
- Total
- 35 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 25
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Absorption rice · Caramelizing
- Savory
- Mexican
- Light
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear. Put it in the saucepan with 150 ml water and a pinch of the salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender. Take off the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes.
~20 min
Rinsing removes surface starch so the grains stay separate instead of turning gluey.
Let the cooked rice sit covered off the heat for 5 minutes before fluffing; the trapped steam finishes the grains so they stay separate instead of sticky.
Absorption rice Use a tight-fitting lid and low heat; resist stirring. The rice is done when the water is absorbed and small steam holes appear on the surface.
-
While step 1 cooks
While the rice cooks, peel the sweet potato and cut it into 2 cm cubes. Toss with the olive oil, half the black pepper and a pinch of salt. Spread in the frying pan over medium heat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the edges are browned and a knife slides in easily.
~15 min
Even 2 cm cubes and a single layer let the edges brown and caramelize rather than steam.
Cut the sweet potato into even 2 cm cubes so they brown at the same rate; if the pan is crowded they will steam rather than caramelize.
Caramelizing Keep the pan uncrowded and let the cubes sit undisturbed between turns. They are ready when the edges are deeply browned and a knife slides in easily.
-
Add the black beans to the pan with the sweet potato and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until heated through. Season with the remaining salt and black pepper.
~3 min
-
Fluff the rice with a fork and spoon it into a bowl. Top with the sweet potato and black beans.
~2 min
Fluffing with a fork separates the grains and releases steam so the rice stays light.
-
Slice the avocado and lay it over the bowl. Squeeze the lime over everything and scatter with the coriander leaves.
~2 min
Acid from the lime cuts the richness of the avocado and beans and brightens the whole bowl.