Cool Beans, Man

Every time I visit my grandmother's house, I can find beans anywhere I look. From the beans in her garden to the beans drying in the windowsill to the pot of beans on the stove, there is never a shortage of beans. It is a little known fact that beans are extremely popular in Brazil, and this is something my grandparents brought with them. In the book The Cooking of Brazil by Matthew Locricchio it states, "Brazilians love beans. These tiny legumes show up in some form in almost every meal. Brazil grows red, brown, and white beans, but the black bean is by far the most popular" (Locricchio 54). While my grandparents eat a variety of beans, black beans are definitely their favorite.

Black beans are called Feijáo Preto Simples in Brazil and it is a lengthy process to make them. This is because you must wash the beans before you soak them over night before you can prepare them. The recipe for black beans calls for one pound of dried black beans, eight cups of water, one bay leaf, one small red or yellow onion, one garlic clove, one tablespoon of vegetable oil, one teaspoon of salt, and one to two sprigs of cilantro (Locricchio 54). After you have soaked your beans and gathered your ingredients, the real process begins.

In a large pot add the beans and cover with water until there is about two inches of water over top of the beans, and then add the bay leaf. After bringing to a boil reduce the heat and let simmer for an hour and a half. After an hour sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic until they soften but before they brown. Remove one cup of beans and a little liquid and mash into a thick paste before returning to the pot. Adding all remaining ingredients, stir and cook for another thirty minutes (Locricchio 55).

Although there are many different kinds of beans, they are served to accommodate meals in a number of ways. Beans are easy to grow and a good source of protein, which is why they became popular in Brazil. While making beans can be time consuming, they are very simple and  can be changed to fit with any meal. The fact that Brazilians eat beans on the side almost every day made me start to wonder: what are some side dishes that are eaten frequently in America? 

Locricchio, Matthew. "Beans and Rice." The Cooking of Brazil. New York: Benchmark /Marshall Cavendish, 2005. 54-55. Print.