Vegan Mexican Red Rice with Corn & Black Beans

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🍚 250g rice (dry)
• 🍅 2 medium tomato
• 🧅 80g onions
• 🧄 2 cloves garlic
• 🏺 2 Tbsp sunflower oil
• 🍆 1 cube vegetable stock cube
• 🥤 450ml tap water
• 🌿 0.5 Tsp cumin powder
• 🧂 0.5 Tsp salt
• 🫑 80g green bell pepper
• 🌶️ 10g green chilli peppers
• 🌽 150g canned sweetcorn
• 🫘 120g black beans, canned
• 🌿 10g fresh coriander
• 🍋 1 piece lime

Method

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until the water runs almost clear (about 1 minute). Leave it to drain for at least 5 minutes – dry rice toasts better.
2. Roughly chop the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Blend them with 150 ml of the water until completely smooth. You should have about 400 ml of purée.
3. Dice the green pepper. Finely chop the green chilli (remove the seeds for a milder rice). Drain and rinse the sweetcorn and black beans.
4. Heat the oil in a wide pan that has a tight-fitting lid, over medium heat. Add the rice and stir constantly for 5–7 minutes, until the grains turn opaque white, a few go light golden and it smells nutty.
5. Add the green pepper, chilli and cumin and stir for 1 minute.
6. Pour in the tomato purée – it will sizzle. Stir for 2 minutes until it thickens slightly and coats the rice.
7. Add the remaining 300 ml water, the crumbled stock cube (check the label is vegan) and the salt. Stir once, bring to the boil, then cover, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 15 minutes. Don't lift the lid.
8. Take the pan off the heat. Scatter the sweetcorn and black beans over the rice, put the lid back on and leave to rest for 10 minutes – the steam warms them through and finishes the rice.
9. Fluff gently with a fork, folding in the corn and beans. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
10. Serve topped with chopped coriander and lime wedges for squeezing over.