Carribean Red Beans and Rice Recipe

One of the things I love about beans is that they're pretty darn cheap, and they are so, so, so versatile. I have bean recipes I like to prepare that originate in Africa, bean dishes from Asia, from the Middle East, from the US, and from Central America. (Anyone want to share some European or South American bean recipes? I'm building my collection.)
This bean recipe is Carribean style, and let me tell you, its delicious! When I first saw this flavor combination in the recipe upon which this recipe is based, I thought it would taste weird, but don't worry- its very yummy!

This recipe is very frugal, especially if you use home cooked kidney beans instead of canned, but don't worry- it tastes great enough to become a family favorite.
If you're not a rice eater, I've included a variation to make a red bean sauce that I've successfully made to serve over pasta or mashed potatoes.

Carribean Red Beans and Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

2 medium or one large onion

Oil

1 large tomato, chopped  (approximately 1.5 cups)

4 heaping soup spoons/tablespoons of tomato paste

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2-1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2-1 teaspoon cloves

1 1/2-2 cups cooked (and soaked) kidney beans

1 3/4 cups rice

3 1/2 cups water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth

Salt (add more if using water, add less if using salted broth)

Instructions:

1. Chop your onion, and saute in oil until translucent.

2. Add your chopped tomato and cook until it is mostly cooked.

3. Transfer to an oven proof dish (or saute it in the oven proof dish to begin with), then add the rest of the ingredients. Bake at 350 until all the liquid  is absorbed and the rice is soft. (30-60 minutes, depending on whether the liquid you add is hot or cold.)

4. Alternatively, to make a red bean sauce, use the smaller amount of the spices listed, and add all the ingredients aside from the rice and water/broth. Water it down enough so you get a sauce and so it isn't too strongly flavored. 

P.S. You can try cooking the rice on the stove, but I find that in dishes like this, the rice burns on the bottom while the top is still  raw; baking works much better.

What is your favorite type of bean? What is your favorite way to prepare them?

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