Cheeseburger, pinto beans

This could be lunch right here, without the cheeseburger.

4 X as much water or other liquid as powdered bean, here 1/4 cup to 1 cup. Stirred regularly to avoid clumping. Flavored with butter, salt, pepper, chile flakes, and this time a lot of sautéed onion, almost its own layer but incorporated instead. That is all. 

Honestly, I could not ask for anything more impressively immediately satisfying. And not easy holding back when there are so many good flavor options available and beckoning, garlic, and dry herbs and spices and regular fresh herbs too, all those things work. The trick for me is to avoid overdoing it, going all Southwestern curry, and overriding the flavor of pinto beans. 

Again, the thin disk of iceberg lettuce is my favorite textural part.

Pinto beans, poached eggs, kiwi salad, honey mustard dressing

Pinto beans are popular around here but I never do see them cooked this way and I honestly do not understand why not. 

Beans and rice

Ham hoc in water

Soaked pinto beans in a jar

Ham hoc cooked, beans begin cooking.

Beans, cooked

How to make perfect white rice.

One cup short grain rice, rinse briefly in cold water

Two cup water, bring to full boil

Reduce heat to as low as possible, steam rice for 25 minutes. A timer is essential.

Kill heat, continue steaming off heat for 10 additional minutes. Do not open top to check progress as this will release the steam, and you don't want that.

Ta daaaaa.  Cooked rice