Bean rice bowls

Ingredients

• Rice (dry)160g
• Black beans (drained)240g
• Bell pepper (raw)300g
• Onions (raw)100g
• Fresh tomatoes (raw)200g
• Olive oil (raw)15ml
• Salt (dry)3g
• Black pepper (dry)1g
• Recipe water (raw)300ml

Method

1. Cut 100g onions into 5mm dice, 300g bell pepper into 1cm squares and 200g fresh tomatoes into 1cm pieces. Heat 15ml olive oil in a broad skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 3 minutes, then add the pepper and cook for 6–8 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Lower the heat if the edges darken before the centres soften.
2. Add the diced tomato, 240g black beans, 3g salt and 1g black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 5–7 minutes until the tomato breaks down and the beans steam throughout. If the topping is watery, simmer uncovered another 2 minutes; if dry, add a splash of processing water.
3. With two burners, cook the rice while making the skillet topping; with one burner, finish the topping first and allow extra time. Rinse 160g rice. Put it in a fitted-lid saucepan with 300ml recipe water, checking the packet ratio first. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and cook for 12–18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and a grain is tender. If still chalky, add a little boiling processing water and cover for 3 minutes more. Rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
4. Fluff the rice and divide it into bowls. Spoon the hot bean topping over it just before serving.
5. The displayed quantities already match your selected servings. For 1 or 2 servings, use a smaller pan and check early; keep the stated cut sizes. For 4 servings use a broad pan or uncrowded trays; for 8 split every ingredient evenly into two 4-serving batches (more if the pan or pot capacity requires it). Keep pans below 80% full and vegetables in one layer when browning. Repeat the cooking and doneness checks for each batch; elapsed time increases for sequential batches. Serve promptly. Cool any extra cooked food in shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours, or one hour above 32°C. Keep the fridge at 4°C or below. Reheat cooked leftovers evenly to 74°C, checking several places with a food thermometer. Keep raw garnishes and cold yogurt or tahini sauces separate and use them cold within their label limits. For this planner, refrigerate cooked rice for at most 24 hours or freeze promptly on the preparation day after rapid cooling in shallow containers. This 24-hour rice limit is a conservative product choice, not a USDA-specific rice rule. Reheat the cooked portion evenly to 74°C with a thermometer.