Hearty Kidney Bean and Rice

(This recipe is based on and modified from Derek Sarno's youtube video. Watch his videos as they are informative and he makes great vegan dishes.)

Ingredients:
  • 2.5 cups of dry kidney beans (rinsed and soaked overnight)
  • 2.5 cups of brown rice (rinsed and soaked overnight)
  • 2 medium yellow onions, diced (split in 2 bowls)
  • 8 garlic cloves, diced (split in each bowl)
  • 2 bay leaves (one in each bowl)
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1 stick of vegan butter
  • 1 green jalapeno for the beans; 1 red jalapeno for garnish
  • 3-4 tablespoons of tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 quart of water
  • 1 block of firm or extra firm tofu
  • 2 tablespoons pork rub seasoning (or equivalent)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Bean Cooking Steps:
  1. Cook the beans in about 5 cups of water in a large pot at a slow boil.
  2. Dice the onions and garlic and split them equally into two containers. Add a bay leaf to each container.
  3. Dice the celery and carrots (quarter them before dicing) and place them in their own container. Save the celery butt, carrot butts, and celery leafy stalks to flavor the beans.
  4. In a large Dutch Oven, melt the butter and place the entire green jalapeno to sautee.
  5. Add one of the containers of diced onion, garlic, and a bay leaf.
  6. Add 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste to the pot and stir it around.
  7. With a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin and coriander seeds and add them to the pot and stir.
  8. Add the celery base, carrot bases, and celery stalks with leaves for flavor; all to be removed later. Simmer the bean flavoring and add water as needed to allow the flavors to be pulled out.
  9. After the kidney beans have become nearly finished (maybe 30-45 minutes), drain most excess water and add the beans to the Dutch Oven with the seasons.
  10. Simmer another approximately 20 minutes keeping an eye on the water level. Remove the celery, bay leaves, carrots and jalapeno that were added for flavor.
  11. Slide the jalapeno and add back into the beans (include seeds for a spicier dish; remove seeds for less spice).
  12. Taste and add salt and pepper as required.
  13. Stir in the cooked tofu and remove from the heat
Rice Cooking Steps:
  1. While the beans are simmering, in a large pot, heat the vegetable oil on medium heat.
  2. Add the diced carrots and celery.
  3. Add the onions, garlic, and bay leaf from the second container and sautee.
  4. Add the fajita seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder.
  5. Add the rinsed brown rice.
  6. Add 1 quart of water.
  7. Boil for approximately 30 minutes on low.
  8. Monitor the water level and add water as needed until the rice is soft all the way through.
  9. Remove from heat and add salt to taste.
Tofu Cooking Steps:
  1. Drain the tofu and cut into 3/4 inch cubes.
  2. Add the tofu to a mixing bowl.
  3. Add in the pork rub seasoning, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder and toss.
  4. Cover with the vegetable oil and toss.
  5. Spread them out on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
  6. Bake for approximately 30 minutes such that they dry out slightly, toughen up slightly, and start to brown.
  7. Remove from the oven and add into the beans when the beans are done.