Jorge cooks Cuban Congris (black beans and rice)

black beans

🥗Healthier: kidney beans

💰Cheaper: pinto beans

Kidney beans provide similar texture with less cost.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Avocado oil is healthier while vegetable oil is more economical.

smoked ham hock

🥗Healthier: turkey leg

💰Cheaper: bacon

Turkey leg offers a leaner option while bacon is more accessible.

white rice

🥗Healthier: brown rice

💰Cheaper: quinoa

Brown rice is more nutritious, quinoa is gluten-free.

Start the Instant Pot and set it to cook rice and beans for 15 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of olive oil to the Instant Pot.

Prepare the sofrito by adding green bell pepper, red or yellow onion, garlic, and cilantro stems into a blender with 1 cup of cooking wine and blend until combined.

Pour the sofrito mixture into the Instant Pot and let it sizzle.

Add 4 cups of jasmine rice to the pot and mix it with the sofrito.

Add 1 can of black beans (with liquid) and 1 can of petite diced tomatoes (with liquid) into the pot.

Season with 6-10 cracks of black pepper, 3 tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of garlic powder (optional), 2 tablespoons of oregano, and 1-2 tablespoons of cumin.

Add 1 more cup of liquid to the pot, ensuring a total of 5 cups of liquid for the rice and beans.

Mix all ingredients in the pot and close the lid to cook.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: