Rice & Beans

As someone who often needs quick but nutritious meals and is used to rice way too much to switch, this recipe has been a lifesaver for the past couple of years...
The recipe looks like you have a lot to do (I think) but honestly, the only time consuming thing is washing the rice... Most of the time, I don't use the vegetables because this truly is my meal-on-the-go...

Yields: A hearty meal for 1.


Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup of rice*
2. 250 g of Red Kidney beans**
3. 1 1/2 cups of vegetable stock***
4. Any vegetables you like- prep them in small enough cubes so that they don't end up raw. Potatoes and onions are what I often reach for.
5. Sour cream or Yogurt

Seasoning

1. Salt 
2. Pepper
3. Maggi Seasoning (no fuss if you don't use this!)
4. Coriander Powder****
5. Cumin Powder or just the seeds****
6. Sesame seeds****
7. Any spice mix you like/prefer. Some ideas:
1. Dal Makhni spice mix
2. Rajma Masala spice mix
3. Taco Seasoning
4. Cajun Mix
5. All Spice Mix
8. Cloves/Star anise (if you like stronger flavours)****

Instructions

1. The idea of this recipe is that it cooks exactly the way you usually cook your rice... So, as someone who own both a rice cooker and a pressure cooked, this recipe is extra easy. Depending on what you usually use to cook your rice, grab that and put the washed rice in along with the beans that are either from a can (and hence already ready) or soaked overnight.
2. Add the all the seasoning and pour the stock over it. Make sure seasonings dissolve as much as they can to create a homogenous water-y thing that the rice and beans can cook in. By doing so at this step, the flavours will embed themselves in the rice and beans much better.
3. Add the vegetables (if any) and now you can cook this pot exactly as you would your usual rice. So I would place mine into the rice cooker and let it do it's thing or use my pressure cooker till it reaches the third ring. If you are using just a regular pot on the stove, cover it with a lid to ensure that the vegetables and beans cook through.
4. Serve/eat with the sour cream or yogurt.
5. Et voilá! You have made your easiest meal! 

Garnish/Serving Tips & Tricks

• The sour cream or yogurt adds to the body of the meal and balances the, otherwise too simple and straightforward, flavours. If you feel like it, you can even use any cheese like cheddar or even cream cheese!
• Chopped coriander on top does make it look more fancy than it deserves to be and goes a long way with enhancing the flavours.

*Any rice that you prefer. I tend to use long grain rice for this recipe (like Basmati).
**You can use any other beans too (like black beans). Just make sure that either they have been soaked for a minimum of 9 hours or are canned and hence ready-to-go.
***Again- you can use chicken or beef or any other stock!! If it's a bullion cube, just get regular water and toss it into the rice cooker or pressure cooker along with the rest of the seasoning.
****Optional- if you have it use it!