I’m hooked on pinquito beans. They’re much more refined than the more ordinary pinto or black beans, and like all beans, they are a great source of protein. They’re perfect as a side dish to a good ol’ steak or as a main course for vegetarians.
I received Susie Q Brand’s Red Gadget Box which includes her most popular products. It makes a handy gift for the holidays, ideal for toting around your favorite kitchen tools. I used Maria Valley Style Seasoning for grilling steaks and glazed them with Suzie Q’s sherry citrus rib glaze. I cooked the pinquito beans included in the package the same manner that my husband’s late grandma Baji taught me. I prepared them in a masala curry gravy with Indian spices. I finished the bean dish by adding a smoky flavor using a few California red oak grilling chips. There is also a jar of salsa inside the Red Gadget Box; just serve it as a starter along with tortilla chips.
Susie Q’s Brand is the original maker of artisan foods capturing the flavors of Santa Maria Style Barbeque. Even though it’s winter time, you could cook everything indoors and experiment with grilling and barbeque skills.
1. Info for Pinquito Beans
- Cook Time: 55 mins
- Total Time: 2 hr 40 mins
- Servings: 16
- Calories: 248kcal
2. Ingredients for Pinquito Beans
- 1 (19-ounce) package dried pinquito beans
- 3 tablespoons canola oil (or any neutral oil)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (see tips)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander, freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1-½ teaspoons salt
- 6 tablespoons Greek-style yogurt
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
- 2 jalapeño peppers
3. Directions:
- Wash the pinquito beans. Discard any floating or odd-shaped beans. Wash and rinse thoroughly in several water baths (about three times) and set aside for at least 1 hour. Drain the beans, removing as much of the soaking water as possible. Place the beans in a small pot. Add 1-½ quarts of water and the provided Susie Q seasoning packet (if used). Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature to medium heat. Cook for an hour and a half. Drain and set aside.
- Stem, seed and finely chop one of the jalapeño peppers. Using a paring knife, create a 2-inch incision in the remaining whole pepper. Note: remember not to rub your eyes after touching jalapeño pepper seeds. In the same pot, heat the canola oil. Cook the onions for about 6-8 minutes until soft and nicely golden. Leaving as much oil as possible in the pot, transfer to a platter. Set aside. In the same pot, add the ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, ground coriander and cayenne pepper. Once the ginger garlic paste is fragrant, add the onions and yogurt. Cook for about 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Add the pinquito beans. Add 2 to 2-½ cups of water; the water should barely cover the beans. Bring to a boil then lower to a gentle simmer for about 1 hour. Add the jalapeño peppers and salt half-way through the cooking process (it will bring out the natural flavor of the beans and they’ll be more tender) and keep stirring every now and then so the beans don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Once the water evaporates, check the softness of the beans (add water and cook a bit longer if not fully cooked). Transfer one third the amount of cooked pinquito beans into the bowl of an immersion blender. Coarsely blend the mixture and pour it back into the pot. Depending on how thick you like the gravy, you can blend more mashed pinquito beans. Add little mounds of butter (if used) into the pinquito beans. Adjust seasoning and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes over low-heat. Transfer to a serving bowl. Remove and discard the whole jalapeño pepper.
- Optional: Prepare a stove-top smoker with wood chips. Cut an onion in the shape of a cup; it will be the receptable for the wood chips. Place a small piece of butter in the cavity of the onion. Place the onion cup over the beans. Burn 2-3 wood chips and place them inside the onion cup. Cover the pot with a lid. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. The condensation from the pot with add a delicious smoky flavor to the beans. Remove the onion. It’s ready to be served!
