Recipe Difficulty: Easy

Cuban black beans, also known as frijoles negros, have a long history in Cuban cuisine. The dish is believed to have originated with the indigenous Taíno people, who were the original inhabitants of Cuba before the arrival of the Spanish. They used to prepare a bean stew similar to the current black bean dishes.

My Black Beans & Rice Recipe Notes
The first time I had black beans like this was at a Cuban Restaurant in Florida. I fell in love with Cuban food instantly. The combination of  Black Beans with Chimichurri is absolutely delicious and  It's a meal that I've been making for years now. It's super healthy, packs a flavour punch and is super easy to prepare.....not to mention easy on the wallet. ​It's also somehow just really satisfying food. You can serve the black beans over rice, or just mix roughly equal parts cooked rice and black beans together and serve it that way. (I gravitate towards mixing them together)  I made 2 cups of rice and that was too much. Guessing more like 1 to 1 1/2 cups of rice would be plenty. 

"SOFRITO", the flavour base of cuban cooking. 
In Cuban cooking, the flavor base is often built using a combination of aromatic ingredients known as "sofrito." Sofrito serves as the foundation for many Cuban dishes, adding depth, richness, and complexity to the final flavors. While there can be variations in the ingredients used, a typical Cuban sofrito consists of the following components:

Onions: Finely chopped onions are sautéed in oil until translucent. They provide a sweet and savory base to the dish.

Garlic: Minced garlic is added to the onions and cooked until fragrant. Garlic adds a pungent and aromatic flavor that is essential in Cuban cuisine.

Bell Peppers: Green bell peppers (and sometimes red or yellow) are diced and added to the sofrito. They contribute a mild sweetness and a hint of bitterness to the dish.

Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes or tomato paste are often included in Cuban sofrito. They add a rich, tangy flavor and help create a thick sauce.

Herbs and Spices: Common herbs and spices used in Cuban sofrito include oregano, cumin, bay leaves, and sometimes paprika or cayenne pepper for heat. These seasonings add depth of flavor and enhance the overall taste profile.

Chimichurri
Chimichurri is a flavorful sauce and condiment that originates from Argentina and Uruguay, although it's also widely enjoyed in other South American countries. It's typically served as an accompaniment to grilled meats, particularly beef, but it can also be used as a marinade or dressing for vegetables.

The traditional ingredients in chimichurri include:

Parsley/Cilantro Fresh flat-leaf parsley is a key component of chimichurri, providing a fresh and herbaceous flavor. While not traditional in Argentinean chimichurri, cilantro is sometimes added for variation particularly in other South American countries.

Garlic: Minced garlic adds a pungent and aromatic element to chimichurri, enhancing its flavor profile.

Oil: Olive oil is commonly used in chimichurri, although other neutral oils like vegetable oil can also be used. The oil helps bind the ingredients together and adds richness to the sauce.

Vinegar: Red wine vinegar or white vinegar is typically used to add acidity and brightness to chimichurri. It balances the flavors and helps cut through the richness of the oil.

Red Pepper Flakes: For a bit of heat, red pepper flakes or fresh chili peppers can be added to chimichurri. The amount can be adjusted based on personal preference.

Salt and Pepper: Essential seasonings that help enhance the overall flavor of chimichurri.

Optional ingredients that are sometimes included in chimichurri recipes are:

Oregano: Some recipes call for dried oregano, which adds a savory and earthy flavor to the sauce.

Lemon or Lime Juice: Adding a splash of citrus juice can brighten the flavors of chimichurri and add a hint of tanginess.

​To make chimichurri, the ingredients are typically chopped, minced, or blended together until they reach the desired consistency. Some prefer a chunkier texture, while others prefer a smoother sauce. Chimichurri can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for several days to allow the flavors to meld together before serving. It's a versatile and delicious condiment that adds a burst of flavor to your favourite protein, vegetables, sandwiches, and more.

​

Recipe Notes
Dumplings are a bit more time consuming than some cooking projects one might tackle, but I don't necessarily think that this means they are incredibly difficult. If you are new to making dumplings I think you can definitely pull it off! It might take a few tries to get them looking pretty with the different folding techniques, but even weird looking ones will taste delicious. There is something really special about making dumplings. They seem so wholesome to me, definitely a labour of love. There are a lot of possibilities when it comes to what you fill your dumplings with. The recipe for my filling is simple and I really like it. Tofu, mushroom, cabbage, scallion and radish seasoned with gochujang, garlic, ginger, sesame, soy & rice wine vinegar. ​

3 WAYS To Cook Dumplings
Dumplings are delicious pan fried, steamed, or simmered in a brothy soup. 

1. Pan-fried dumplings are what I prepare most frequently. Simple and delicious. Hard to resist the combination of golden brown dumplings with chewy texture an delicious filling.

2.Steamed dumplings are undoubtedly healthier, and also a tasty option. They will have a "cleaner" taste if that makes sense, allowing the flavours of the filling to really take center stage. A chewy texture dipped into your favourite sauce. yum! You can buy steamer baskets really inexpensively in most asian grocery stores, and of course online. 

3. Simmered in Broth/Soup. Popping your frozen dumplings into a simmering tasty broth is also a really delicious and easy option. I hope I have a soup recipe on my blog sooner than later, because I made a first trial several months ago and it was excellent. Which is what is pictured below. An umami broth with miso, sesame, soy, garlic, and a bit of rice wine vinegar for acidity, the hot chewy dumplings, nori to garnish.  Honestly you could pop them into your fav miso soup and that would be good too. 

1. How to Panfry Dumplings
To pan-fry dumplings, you will need a skillet or wok with a lid, and some oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil work well). The picture above are the dumplings flipped over after they've been cooked. Technically the proper way to panfry dumplings is to brown on one side, leave them browned side down in the pan, and finish cooking them by steaming. 

1. Heat the skillet or wok over medium-high heat, and add enough oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the dumplings in the skillet or wok, making sure they are not touching each other.
2. Fry the dumplings for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Then, add enough water to the skillet or wok to come about halfway up the sides of the dumplings.
3. Quickly cover the skillet or wok with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Steam the dumplings for about 4 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through and the water has evaporated. Serve the dumplings hot with your desired dipping sauce. 

When purchasing a Wok look for a good quality carbon steel option. They aren't all super cheap, but buy the best you can afford for a beautiful piece of kitchen equipment. The one I have isn't high-end by any means, but at some point I would love to have one that is really high quality. They look like a piece of art to me!! 

2. How To Steam Dumplings
To steam dumplings, you will need a steamer basket with a lid, and a pot or wok big enough to hold the basket.

1. Fill the pot or wok with enough water to reach the bottom of the steamer basket, but not high enough to touch the dumplings.
2. Place the dumplings in the steamer basket on top of basket liners (see link below for reusable option) or pieces of parchment under each dumpling, making sure they are not touching each other, about 1 inch apart.
3.  Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and place the steamer basket in the pot. Cover the basket with a lid and steam the dumplings for 8-10 minutes, or until they are cooked through.
4. Serve the dumplings hot with your desired dipping sauce.

3. How To Cook Dumplings In a Soup
To cook dumplings in a soup, you will need a pot or a large saucepan with a lid, and your desired ingredients for the soup.

1. Bring the soup to a simmer on the stove over medium-high heat. Then, carefully drop the dumplings into the simmering soup, making sure they are not touching each other.
   
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pot or saucepan with a lid.
   
3. Let the dumplings cook for about 8-10 minutes or until they are cooked through. Be sure to stir the soup gently and occasionally to prevent the dumplings from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
   
4. Once the dumplings are cooked, remove from heat and serve the soup hot.

• The thing with making a dough like this is unless you are weighing the flour and water, you will probably need to adjust the amounts a bit. This is intuitive for me because I know what dough should feel like. You can add a bit more water, then if it gets too sticky, you can dust with more flour. The dough should be a bit "tacky", but not sticky, not dry. 
• The trick for rolling the dough is to let it rest for 30-60 minutes to become pliable. Once it has rested you don't want to knead it again before rolling it out. The gluten needs to be relaxed to be pliable.
• I first cut my large ball of dough into 3 or 4 smaller sections to work with. Wrapping up each section not being used in plastic wrap.
• I roll out the dough I'm working with until it is really thin. Dusting with flour as needed. I use a large biscuit cutter to cut out my wrappers instead of rolling individual circles, which is the way I have seen other recipes do it, but I can't deal with my inconsistent circle sizes.
• You will have some scraps, bring them together and knead it a bit, if it's not coming together easily because of the dusting of flour from rolling the first time, I just splash water on my hands and keep bringing it together, adding tiny amounts of water as needed. Once you have a dough ball formed, wrap that one up to rest again while you work with one of the other pieces of dough.  I kind of just alternate between dough balls so that the scrap pile can rest and become pliable. I hope that all makes sense

1. Place a dumpling wrapper in the palm of your hand, add 2-3 tsp of the filling in the center. 
2. fold the dough over the filling to make a half moon shape, pressing the dough together in the center first. There are different ways to complete the forming of the dumplings at this point. the one below is what I do most often. 
3. Holding the side towards the counter more flat in your hand, you make pleats/ little folds along the top. I basically use my left thumb to press down where I want to make a pleat, then using the other hand fold a section of the dough overtop of left thumb, then remove thumb which was the place holder, and seal the pleat. It's hard to explain I think haha, so check out the images below and that should help, and check out the video at the bottom of the page for more visuals.  
4. Place formed dumplings onto a parchment lined baking sheet and dust with flour to prevent them from drying out as you go. 
5. I freeze my dumplings flat, then transfer them into a bag for storage. 
6. Then, I cook them from frozen typically by searing them in a pan with a bit of oil or dropping them into a a brothy asian inspired soup.