Meals Under $10 - Guatemalan Black Beans & Rice

I was born and raised in Guatemala, in a cloud forrest to be extra specific! It is about 20 minutes from the center of the city (without traffic) and its, I believe 6,000 feet above sea level. The air smells really good there! In my refrigerator, as in pretty much most Guatemalans refrigerators there is one thing you will always find... Black beans and rice! Mmmm, delicious! 

In these cold winter days here in NYC all I ever crave is warm comforting dishes. And black beans and rice happens to be delicious and so incredibly cheap! And did I mention, soooo easy to make! 

Here goes my recipe - 

PREP TIME - 25 minutes 
COOK TIME - 
(no including soak time for beans, soak overnight or while working on something a few hours before you plan to cook them) 
COST - $5.50 (4 large servings) 

INGREDIENTS & PROCESS

BEANS
SOAK FOR 3 HOURS TO OVERNIGHT - 
(not totally necessary but good to avoid what we politely like to call flatulence ;)
1 bag of dried black beans $1.99 (goya brand)

IN A BIG POT - SAUTE THESE THREE INGREDIENTS UNTIL A LITTLE BROWNED
1/2 yellow onion $.50
1 tbsp. olive oil $.50 approximately
2 garlic cloves $.25 approximately 

ADD SOAKED BEANS AND MIX

THEN ADD 3 CUPS WATER AND MIX AGAIN

ADD THESE INGREDIENTS, MIX AND LET BEANS COOK FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS AT MEDIUM HEAT. 
(Mix every 15 minutes, after 30 minutes add two more cups water, after an hour add one more cup of water, after the two hours add two more cups of water so you have a nice soup consistency) 
1 1/2 tsp. salt 
1 tsp. pepper 
1 tsp. garlic powder

 
RICE 

SAUTE AT LOW HEAT - DO NOT LET BROWN
1/4 Onion $.25 (I used purple onions because I had a left over 1/4 onion in the fridge but the tradional for guatemalan rice is yellow onion)
1 tbsp. butter $.25

ADD TO SAUTEED ONION AND COOK AT LOW HEAT UNTIL ALL THE WATER HAS EVAPORATED  
(if you are using basmati rice it should be about 30 minutes, but follow the directions on the packaging of the rice to make sure)
2 cups white rice $1.50 (varies depending on the rice, I am using Basmati rice because I love the light and flaky texture it has but traditionally you would use a white long grain rice, which is just as good but a little heavier)  
DONE! 
*If you want to add a little kick, throw about two tablespoons of cilantro to cook with the rice. Mmm!