The delicious beans

Hello Mexican food lovers. Mexicans love beans, we eat them as soup, main dish, side dish and snack! They have been an integral part of Mexican gastronomic culture since prehistoric times, join me to discover a little more about their origin and uses in Mexico.

The bean is said to be a native plant of Mesoamerica and South America, which was domesticated around 8,000 years ago. Along with beans, soybeans and peas, it belongs to the legume family. The bean had an important basis in the pre-Hispanic diet thanks to its nutritional enclosed, besides being used as a tribute to the deities of fertility.

There are currently more than 70 different species of beans, most of which are named for their color: yellow, white, purple, berry, pinto and spotted. In Mexico, the most consumed varieties are "Azufrados", "Negro", "Jamapa", "Mayocoba", "Peruvian", "Flor de Mayo" and "Flor de Junio".

As I mentioned earlier, the high nutritional value of this legume makes it a staple food in Mexican cuisine, second only to corn. Beans have a high protein and fiber enclosed, low fat and sugar content, and are rich in iron, calcium, potassium, antioxidants, B complex, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid, among others.

Studies indicate that Mexicans currently eat approximately 9 to 13 kilos of beans per year. Beans are always present on the Mexican table, as they are present in most Mexican snacks, such as: "sopes", "panuchos", "tlacoyos" and "enfrijoladas". Refried beans are the traditional garnish for most Mexican dishes and are also the star ingredient of countless iconic and famous dishes such as "frijoles puercos" and "frijoles charros".

Want to prepare a delicious bean soup? Here's the recipe!

To make the recipe you will need:

• 1 can of 440 g refried black beans
• 300 g tomato puree
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoons white onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 4 epazote leaves
• 1 cup fried tortilla strips
• 2 tablespoons fried pasilla chile in slices or strips
• ¾ cup avocado, diced
• ¾ cup of diced panela cheese
• Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Just follow these simple steps:

1. Melt the butter, add the onion and garlic until fried.
2. Add the tomato puree, epazote, beans and chicken stock.
3. Mix all the ingredients together and when it comes to a boil, blend your soup.
4. Return to the heat and season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve with fried tortilla strips and pasilla chili, as well as cheese cubes and avocado.

Don't forget to stop by our bean section, where you can find all our variety of beans from different brands! Take advantage of our discount on the delicious refried beans from La Sierra.(FYI: Check expiration date).