Cuban Red bean rice For C

Today is the third day  and we have to cook for letter C. I am bit confused , which country to choose First I thought of making Cambodian after a big research I changed my opinion. Then again started research, this happened many times. Actually I wanted to make a salad for today  but some how I am not satisfied. Then I changed my recipe to a main course, now again the research started and finely I reached Cuba.
Cuban cuisine has been influenced by Spanish, French, African, Arabic and a little bit of Chinese and Portuguese too. Most of the Cuban recipes are not too heavy or creamy, Almost of them are sauteed and slow- cooked over on a low flame. Meat and poultry will take first place in this cuisine, other then that root vegetables like yuca, boniato are staple.
They have toast and coffee for breakfast, empanadas and Cuban sandwiches are popular for lunch. For dinner they usually have meat or fish with white rice and black beans with sweet fried plantains.
Arroz Congri Oriental This is my recipe for today from Cuba for C. Rice and beans are very popular all over Cuba. Normally This rice dish is made with black beans but there are many variations among regions. In eastern part of the region this is prepared with rice and red beans. This dish is served with fried plantains and a salad.
INGREDIENTS:--
Rice  ---  3 cups
Dry red beans  ----  1 and half cup
Oil  --- 1 tab sp
Onion  ---  1 medium minced
Green bell pepper  ---  1 medium
Garlic cloves  ---  7 minced
cumin powder  --- 1 and half tea sp
Dried oregano   ----  1 and 1/2 tea sp
Bay leaves  ---  2 
Salt to taste
Water 
METHOD:--
1. In a pot rinse red beans well and add 12 cups of water stir well and bring to a full boil and reduce the heat to low and cook for 60 minutes.
2. Beans should be soft but not mashey, because we are going to cook then again with rice.
3. Drain the water and save we are going to use this water for cooking the rice , so that the rice will get a beautiful color. 
4. Now wash rice and add water which we saved from red beans and add remaining fresh water (I gave 3 cups rice for 3 cups of rice you need 5 to 6 cups water,measure red bean broth then add remaining water.) Add red beans and cook till done.
5. Heat oil in a pan Now here I want to include one thing in original recipe they use bacon that leaves  fat in that they cook onion. So in my recipe Iam using oil in the place of bacon fat.
6. Now add onion and bell pepper and saute till the raw smell disappear.Add minced garlic and saute for a while.
7. Now add  rice and beans mixture, cumin powder, oregano and bay leave, salt to taste mix very carefully with out braking the beans and rice.
8. Cover and cook  on a very low heat for 5 to 7 min. switch off the heat and let it sit for a while and serve.   
        

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