Pintos with Cilantro Rice

This recipe takes the basic ingredients of pico de gallo -- tomato, chilies, onion, and cilantro -- and remixes them with pinto beans, brown rice, and cumin seed. It's easy weeknight meal: start the rice, then chop the veggies and prepare the beans while the rice is cooking.

Serves 4.

Ingredients - Pinto Beans
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon cumin seed
1 onion, washed and chopped
3 serrano chilies, washed, seeded, and chopped
3 roma tomatoes, washed and chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 15 ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed, or one cup dry pinto beans, picked over, rinsed, soaked, and cooked

Heat the canola oil and cumin seeds in a large skillet over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, stir in the onion and chilies; cook until the onion is soft (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Stir in the salt.
Stir in the tomatoes and pinto beans and continue to cook until the beans are heated (1-2 minutes).
Remove from heat and serve with cilantro rice.

Ingredients - Cilantro Rice
2 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon peanut oil
1 cup long grain brown rice
1/2 cup cilantro, washed and chopped

Combine the water, salt, and peanut oil in a medium sauce pan.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Stir in the brown rice.
Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer about 40-45 minutes.
Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, for about 5 more minutes.
Stir in the cilantro and serve.