Dried Mexican Bean Recipe
(serves 6)
500g kidney or pinto beans
2 tsp salt
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 large onion
Cover the beans with water, bring to boil. Keep at boiling point for 10 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for an hour.
Then bring to boil again.
Lower the heat, add salt, chilli powder, and cumin. Simmer for 2 hours or more, until tender. Add the diced onion after an hour of cooking.
Leave the lid off the pot for the last 30 minutes or so to evaporate most of the liquid. Mash the beans with potato masher, or puree in a food processor.
Spread out in a thin layer on 2 baking trays greased with oil (not butter). Place in the oven at lowest temp (about 65C) and use the handle of a wooden spoon to hold the oven door open a fraction to allow the air to circulate.
Leave for 6 or more hours, until dried and brittle.
Break up and store in plastic bags.
To reconstitute on the tramp, add an equal volume of water and simmer. Chopped salami and/or grated cheese can be added. Serve with rice.