Cozy up to this hearty, flavourful meal that’s easy to make and low-impact.
Beans are an excellent, potentially locally grown option to include on your plate, and when you buy them in bulk in their dried form, you also reduce the amount of packaging you’re going through in any given week — and save a few bucks.
Don’t want to go through the trouble of soaking them? No problem! Black beans are even better when they’re not soaked before cooking: They retain their black colour; have a nicer, more toothsome texture; and taste a little more flavourfully “beany.”
You’ll find Caribbean-style curry powder in what many supermarkets label the “International” section, in West Indian grocery stores, or online.
This dish takes only 10 minutes to prep, and is ready to eat in an hour.
PrintRECIPE: Pressure-Cooker Jerk Black Beans
- Yield: Makes about 7 cups, or 6 to 8 servings. 1x
Description
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups dried black beans, picked through
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 sweet red pepper, chopped
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, or any hot pepper, quartered and seeded
- 2 tablespoons Caribbean-style Madras curry powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons jerk seasoning paste
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- In an electric pressure-cooker, combine water, black beans, onions, red pepper, Scotch bonnet or other hot pepper, curry powder, bay leaves, thyme, garlic powder, allspice, and cumin. (If you don’t have a pressure-cooker, see Stovetop Version below.)
- Close and seal the lid; set manually to cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- Let steam release naturally for 15 minutes. Then vent steam with the release valve to release remaining pressure.
- Open the lid. Stir in tomatoes, lime juice, jerk seasoning, and cilantro. Season with salt to taste. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Serve with rice or roti and a crunchy fresh salad or slaw.
Notes
Stovetop Version: Increase water to 7 cups. In a large saucepan, combine water, black beans, onions, red pepper, Scotch bonnet, curry powder, bay leaves, thyme, garlic powder, allspice and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender — about 1 hour. Continue from step 4 as directed.
