RECIPE

Miso Refried Beans

APRIL 9, 2021
[ SKIP TO RECIPE ]
Mexican food is an unfamiliar cuisine to me until recent years. At most, I’ve only had Tex-Mex burritos and nachos at chain restaurants, which were some of the more affordable and filling options for a student/fresh grad with a low budget.

If was not until maybe around 2014 that I started learning more about Mexican food and Latin cuisines in general, all credits due to the generous Hispanic and Latinx colleagues who were willing to show me the ways to their favourite spots in Toronto. My favourite part of these ventures with my colleagues were always the moments when the waiter told me majority of the menu can be made gluten-free with no extra cost, simply because most of the dishes are naturally gluten-free! Since then, I’ve grew very fond of Mexican food, especially tacos.

I’m not quite sure what the trigger was, but there was a boom in the taco business for a few year in the city. A few chains of taquerias started opening across the city, consistently from the west to the east of downtown Toronto. I was able to try out quite a few of them over the years. My favourites thus far are Playa Cabana Hacienda (somewhere mid-town on Dupont) and El Trompo (in Kensington Market.)

Anyways, since the quarantine begin, it’s almost impossible to get good tacos in the suburbs of Toronto where I live. I have been able to curb my cravings with Mexico Lindo Express’ flautas and the chorizo tacos from time to time, but realistically, my body cannot handle the amount of garlic that’s in the delicious food. Screw you, garlic allergy! As I browsed Well.ca on a random night, as a routined habit, I came across the new additions of Casa Bonita Foods’ corn tortillas! I placed an order shortly on the blue and white variations and they arrived to my doorsteps a couple days later, the magic of modern day delivery services.

I’ve been making tacos for dinner since every couple of weeks. My cooking is nothing authentic to the Mexican way, but it’s easy and quick to put together, not to mention a very convenient way to stuff into more veggies into our very dormant lifestyle. Thus far, the most exciting combination for has been this taco smeared in Miso Refried Beans and topped with lettuce, Stir-Fried Beef in Cantonese Black Pepper Sauce (see recipe), tomatoes, onions, and feta! For now, this will distract me from dreaming about having one too many tacos at a taqueria and struggle to penguin walk out of it because my gluttony.

Another new habit I developed since the quarantine is that I’ve switched from canned beans to dried beans. They are the first survival food I grabbed at the grocery store when everyone else reached for the TP. 

Not all miso are gluten-free, so it’s important to read the labels and do the research! I usually stick to Miko Brand’s Dashi Miso paste – it comes in a cube-shaped, plastic tub.

Miso Refried Beans

Yield: 2 to 3 servings (about 1.5 cups)

 

INGREDIENTS
    • ¾ cup of dried pinto beans
    • 1 large dried bay leaf
    • 1 tsp + 1 tbsp of olive oil
    • ½ an onion, finely diced
    • 1 tbsp + 2 tsp gluten-free miso
    • ½ cup of water
 
INSTRUCTIONS

Soak & Cook the Dried Beans

  1. Soak the dried pinto beans for 8 hours, or overnight. If you forgot the soak it, not a problem! Do a quick-soak: bring a pot of dried beans covered in cold water (at least 2 inches above the beans) to boil; let it boil for 5 minutes, then cover with a lid, turn off the heat and let it soak for 30 minutes.
  2. Drain the soaking water and rinse the soaked beans well.
  3. Place the soaked beans into a pot and cover with at least 4 inches of water above the beans. Add in dried bay leaf and 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Over high heat, bring it to a boil.
  4. Once boiling, cover the pot with a lid and turn down the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer until the beans are soft enough to be mushed up with the back of a spoon. Depending on the beans you have, it can take from 1 hours to 1.5 hours.
  5. When the beans are cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to get rid of some of the starchy liquid. Set aside.

Making the Refried Beans

  1. In a bowl, mix together the miso and the water. Set aside.
  2. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  3. Cook the diced onions until they turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
  4. Turn down the heat to medium-low. Add in the cooked pinto beans and mush it up with a wooden spoon or a potato masher. Gradually add in the miso mixture as you mash the pinto beans.
  5. When all the pinto beans are mashed, stir the mixture in the pan and let it thicken into a spreadable, but not dry, thick paste. If you think it’s too dry and chunky, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you reach a desirable consistency.
  6. Adjust the taste with salt if needed. The miso paste is naturally salty so it’s always better to adjust the saltiness at the end if necessary.
  7. Serve warm.  
[ JUMP BACK TO THE TOP]