I prefer to make this soup in my Instant Pot. The recipe cooks faster with less fussing about the pot boiling over. The flavours of food cooked in the Instant Pot seem to be richer and more intense.
You can also easily make this recipe on your stove top. Follow the directions as written but add 10 cups of water instead of 8 cups. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the beans are soft, about 1 hour. Stir occasionally, and add more water if needed.
I don't soak the black beans before cooking. They seem to cook just fine in the Instant Pot without soaking. I would recommend soaking them overnight if you make this on the stove top. Adding a pinch of baking soda to the water when cooking, also helps to soften the beans.
Be careful when working with the dried chilis. Wear gloves or don't touch your eyes or face or those of your loved ones until you've washed your hands several times after touching the chilis. Stand back and don't inhale the vapours when toasting the chilis, either. The oils in both fresh and dried chilis can be very volatile. To clean the chilis, wipe the outsides with a damp paper towel. Add as much or as little of the chili seeds as you like. The more seeds you add the hotter the soup.
To use this recipe for a bean dip, use a food processor instead of a blender. Only add as much of the cooking water as you need to get the beans pureed. Add more a little at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
makes 6 servings
- 1 Tablespoon each: ground cumin, ground coriander, ancho Chile powder, dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cracked fennel seeds
- 4 bay leaves
- 3 dried chilis: 2 guajillo, 1 pasilla (or ancho)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 cups dried black beans, sorted and washed
- 8 cups water
- 1-398 ml (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
- for garnish: minced cilantro leaves, lime wedges, diced avocado, chopped tomatoes
Dice the onion, and peel and smash the garlic cloves.
Yummmmm.
To your health and happiness,
Beans and Rice