Mexican fried rice with black beans and corn

This recipe is so quick and easy and — best of all — you’ll only need one pot for cooking! I whipped it up by stir-frying some vegetables with spices, adding black beans and corn and cooking some rice. This is an ideal meat-free meal and it’s also a superb dish for when you’re short on time (I think I had it ready in about 25 minutes).

If you don’t have black beans in the pantry, you can also use butter beans or kidney beans. Don’t like beans? Don’t add them.

Should you have leftovers (I’m trying to reduce the amount of food waste in my house at the moment, so I’m really honing the quantities I’m cooking), this makes a great meal for lunch the next day.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed or grated
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional if you don’t like it hot)
• 1 red, green or yellow capsicum, diced
• 300g basmati or long grain rice
• 400g can diced tomatoes
• 350ml water
• 100g corn tinned, fresh or frozen
• 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander

Method

1. Using a deep, wide frying pan, add onions and oil. Fry gently for 3 minutes with the lid on until softened but not brown. Add garlic, spices, chilli and capsicum and fry for a further 2 minutes with the lid off, stirring occasionally.
2. Add rice, tomatoes, water, salt and pepper. Stir to mix thoroughly then bring to the boil. Turn down to a low heat, cover with a lid and allow to simmer gently for 10 minutes.
3. Remove lid and add corn and black beans, stir and replace the lid. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes or until the rice is done to your liking.
4. If the dish gets too dry before the rice is done enough for you, add an extra splash of water.
5. Serve garnished with coriander/spring onions/chillies.