Today I Go Back To My Roots

Today I was thinking maybe I'll make food from The Guyana or French Guiana since these are countries not mentioned at all and I don't know much about them, but after careful consideration and the advantage that I had everything at home I decided to go back to my roots.
Today's plate is rice, pinto beans and sausage, an every day plate in Brazil. I was thinking to add a banana but that would add calories and I need to subtract not add.

Also I had a post about a year ago and it stated that rice and beans was a "classic example of this is rice and beans. (For the record, you don't need to eat them together. Just get them both at some point during the day."

Also a banana added to your meal can help those wanting to put on weight. Needless to say I left the banana out.
But just so you see how we eat it, I added a piece of banana and we mix with the food and eat it. It had been so long since I've done that, I almost ate the whole banana.

I do not use a recipe for this dish as this comes from learning from generations, it is actually in every Brazilian's DNA how to cook rice and beans.

Of course I am from the small towns and I eat pinto beans. In Rio and other northern cities you will find black beans.
Since I had no recipe for my meal below is how I make it.

For the rice:

3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup of diced onions
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
2 cups white rice
4 cups of water

Chop garlic and dice the onions. Add oil to a one a pan add onion and garlic and fry for a few minutes. Don't let the garlic burn
If you desire you may wash the rice prior to cooking. Most Brazilians do this.
Add rice, salt to pan and mix with the oil.
Add water, cover and let it boil. Once the water start to boil reduce heat to the low and cook for about 30 minutes.

For the beans
I don't have a pressure cooker so this can take a few hours

1 1/2 cups of beans
4 cups of water more if needed

Make sure you go through the beans to remove any rocks or bad beans
wash it and add to pan with water
Bring to a boil than reduce heat to medium
Cook until beans are soft

Once the beans are cooked add salt, garlic and onions to taste. Add 2 tbsp of oil. Cook for another 15 minutes.

I found another recipe for you. This recipe is as close to mine and close to all other Brazilian rice and beans. Elisa writes about Brazilian Cooking, give her a like and take a look at her blog
http://authenticbraziliancuisine.blogspot.com/2010/02/rice-and-beans-of-brazilian-food.html

 Enjoy!

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