Beans and Rice (Habichuela Junto)

Bernice Ayala

• 2 lbs. crosscut spareribs, pork or pork butt
• 1½ T. garlic salt
• Water
• ¾ c. round onion, diced sm.
• 1 c. green onion, cut sm.
• ¼ c. bell pepper, diced sm.
• ½ T. garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. curry powder
• 1 T. dried parsley flakes
• ¼ tsp. dried oregano leaves
• ½ c. tomato sauce
• ½ c. pitted olives, liquid included
• 1 (30-oz.) lg. can Hunt’s chili beans, liquid included
• 1½ c. water
• 3 T. shoyu
• 5 c. raw rice

Wash and cut ribs or pork. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Put ribs in a saucepan; add water to just about cover the meat. Cover pot and simmer until meat is tender, adding same amount of water as needed (probably 3 or 4 times, depending on meat’s tenderness). After adding the last water (which decreases), and when meat is tender, stir fry to brown meat a little. Add the round onion, green onion, bell pepper, garlic, curry powder, dried parsley flakes, dried oregano leaves and tomato sauce. Cook together for 3 minutes. Important: You need to use all the liquid from the can of olives and chili beans. Add olives, chili beans, 1½ cups of water and the shoyu. Bring this back to a boil and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Preheat oven to 400°. Wash rice and drain well. Add to beans mixture and stir all of this together several times. Transfer the rice mixture to a 10 x 12 x 2½-inch foil pan. Tightly cover pan with heavy-duty foil. Put pan in oven and bake for 1½ hours. Uncover and fold rice over, turning completely. Reseal pan, turn oven heat down to 300° and continue cooking for another 30 to 45 minutes.

Hint: Food may at first seem too salty. It will balance off after addition of other ingredients. For sturdiness or thickness, use two foil pans together, one inside of the other.