Ingredients
FOR THE SMOKY MUSHROOMS:
400 grams (14 oz) oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped
5 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon smoky paprika
1 tablespoon oil
FOR THE RED BEANS AND RICE
1 onion, finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced
2 stalks of celery, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 cups (700 ml) vegetable stock
6 cups (1.4 litres) water
500 grams or 1 pound of small red beans, soaked in salty water (4 quarts / 4 litres water with 3 tablespoons salt) overnight and drained
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Salt, to taste (depends how salty your veg stock is)
Rice, for serving
4 chopped green onions or fresh cilantro
Hot sauce, for serving
Directions
1
Place all the ingredients for the smoky mushrooms except for the oil in a ziplock bag and shake. Set aside to marinade, flipping the bag over from time to time.
2
Heat a large pot over medium heat and add a splash of water (you can use oil if you prefer), the onion, green pepper, celery and garlic. Sautee until soft, adding more water if necessary. Add the thyme, bay, pepper, cayenne and paprika. Sautee until fragrant – about 30 seconds.
3
Add the stock, water and beans. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a vigorous simmer. A vigorous simmer helps the beans to release their starch and make a creamy sauce. Because the beans were brined in salty water, they shouldn’t explode at higher cooking temperatures.
4
Meanwhile, heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Drain the mushrooms from their marinade and add them to the pan. You may need to work in batches to avoid over-crowing the pan. Fry for a couple of minutes on each side until they are golden and a bit crispy. Remove to a plate and set aside.
5
After about an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half of cooking the beans should be tender and the sauce reduced and thickened. The sauce will also thicken a bit more as it cools but if you want it even creamier, mash a few tablespoons of the beans into a paste and stir it through the stew. Add the mushrooms, red wine vinegar and salt to taste.
6
Serve over rice topped with chopped green onion or cilantro and hot sauce on the side.