Puerto Rican Beans and Rice(Habichuelas Rosadas)

• cups water↗2
• lbs calabaza squash or 1 3/4 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes↗1 3⁄4
• teaspoon annatto seeds (optional)↗1
• tablespoons olive oil↗2
• medium onion, chopped↗1
• small sweet green pepper, chopped↗1
• chili pepper, finely chopped↗1⁄2
• cloves garlic, finely chopped↗2
• fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped (or use culantro leaves, if you can find them)↗6
• cup tomato sauce↗1⁄2
• (15 ounce) can pink beans, undrained↗1
• teaspoon salt↗3⁄4
• teaspoon dried oregano leaves↗1⁄2
• Cooked White Rice↗
• cups water↗3
• cup olive oil↗1⁄4
• teaspoon salt↗1
• cups long-grain white rice↗2

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Prepare Cooked White Rice: In a heavy 4-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 3 cups water, 1/4 cup olive oil, and salt to boiling over high heat.

2. 2

   Reduce heat to medium; add 2 cups rice and cook uncovered until rice appears to be dry-10 to 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Using a fork, bring rice on the bottom to the top, but do not mix.

4. 4

   Reduce heat to low; cook 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Turn rice over again and cook 10 minutes longer.

6. 6

   Cover rice and keep warm until ready to serve.

7. 7

   This rice dish is somewhat crunchy in texture.

8. 8

   Beans: In a 1-quart saucepan, heat water and squash to boiling over high heat.

9. 9

   Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until tender-10 to 15 minutes.

10. 10

    Drain squash, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid in a measuring cup.

11. 11

    Add annatto seeds to cooking liquid and set aside 5 minutes.

12. 12

    In 4-quart saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.

13. 13

    Add onion, green pepper, garlic, chile pepper, and cilantro; saute mixture, or sofrito, 5 minutes.

14. 14

    Strain liquid from annatto into sofrito, discarding seeds.

15. 15

    Add tomato sauce and squash.

16. 16

    Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened-about 20 minutes.

17. 17

    Stir undrained beans, salt, and oregano into mixture and cook until beans are warmed through and sauce has thickened again-about 15 minutes.

18. 18

    To serve, spoon bean mixture over Cooked White Rice on serving plate.

19. 19

    Enjoy!