Stew Pinto Beans

1 ¾ - 2 cups 1 can cooked pinto beans. Or, 1 cup dry beans soaked overnight. Then discard the water, then place in a pot. Add fresh water (about 1 inch above the beans), and cook until tender – makes 2 cups. (Do not discard the remaining liquid from the cooked beans. It will help to thicken the stew. But you can use water as well.)
½ cup onions finely chopped
½ cup sweet peppers chopped (Bell, pimento, mini peppers)
4 garlic cloves finely chopped (1½ tbsp minced)
4 – 5 sprigs of thyme 1 tbsp dry thyme
1 heaping tbsp oregano leaves chopped (½ tbsp dry oregano)
1 heaping tbsp parsley chopped (½ tbsp dry parsley)
2 scallions chopped
2 culantro leaves (chadon beni) chopped (or ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves)
⅓ cup pumpkin diced into 1-inch cubes, or ¼ cup diced sweet potato. You can replace the pumpkin with squash such as winter squash, butternut squash, acorn squash, etc.
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp lime juice or apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Soy sauce or Tamari sauce, or Liquid Aminos
1 tsp vegetable oil
½ tsp salt or to taste
Hot pepper finely chopped, or chili powder, to taste (optional)
1 small potato or taro, or yam, diced in 1-inch cubes (optional)

Heat a large skillet or pot over medium heat.
Add oil. This recipe uses less oil to sauté the seasoning. Therefore, to prevent the seasoning from burning during the sautéing process, keep ½ cup of water on hand and add 1 tbsp of water, at a time, to areas where you see the seasoning may stick.
Add onions and ¼ tsp of salt, and stir gently for two minutes, until onions are translucent.
Add peppers and stir for 2 minutes.
Add garlic and stir for 1 minute.
Add the other seasoning - oregano, parsley, thyme and culantro* and cumin powder. *If using cilantro instead, DO NOT add it here. Add it near the end of cooking for best flavour.
Add ¼ cup of liquid from the beans, and/or water.
Add, pumpkin, lime juice and soy sauce, then stir, cover pot, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. You may need to add a bit of water after 5 minutes to prevent sticking.
Add beans and ½ cup (or more) of liquid from the cooked beans, or water. Bring to a slight boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes.
When almost cooked, add the cilantro. You can also add the optional diced potatoes, or other ground provision, and simmer until tender.

Don’t like to cook much? Then replace seasonings with an equivalent amount of Caribbean seasoning blend or dry seasoning.

Pairing:

Serve with rice, corn dishes, or another grain, and/or with ground provision.

Add to tacos, wraps and grain bowls.