Brazilian Rice and Beans

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1. 1Step 1: Sort your beans carefully, throw away any stones or beans that do not look good.
2. 2Step 2: Place the beans in a sieve or colander and rinse under running water.
3. 3Step 3: Transfer the grains to a large bowl and cover them with cold water - discard any beans that float.
4. 4Step 4: Let the beans soak for +-12 hours.
5. 5Step 5: Change the water once during this period - soaking reduces the cooking time and eliminates substances that make the beans hard to digest.
6. 6Step 6: Discard the soaking water.
7. 7Step 7: Transfer the beans to the pressure cooker/instant pot, cover with water, and add the bay leaves.
8. 8Step 8: Close the cooker and heat on high pressure for 10 minutes. (if your beans are fresh, if they are older, say closer to a year old, then pressure cook it for 25 min)
9. 9Step 9: Then let the pressure release naturally for at least 5 minutes, before you manually release the pressure, so it doesn't splatter all over your kitchen.
10. 10Step 10: Peel and finely chop the onion and mince garlic.
11. 11Step 11: Heat a skillet over medium heat, drizzle with olive oil, add the onion, and season with a pinch of salt.
12. 12Step 12: Sauté for about 3 minutes until softened, add the garlic, and stir for an additional 1 minute or until fragrant.
13. 13Step 13: Add 2 ladles of the cooked beans to your skillet, mix, and mash the beans with the spatula - this puree helps thicken your beans. Add you sazon or sazon replacement seasonings.
14. 14Step 14: Transfer the sautéed mixture with mashed beans to the pot with the cooked beans.
15. 15Step 15: Season with salt and pepper to taste, mix, and let it cook, uncovered, for another 10 minutes or until the broth thickens - the time may vary depending on the desired consistency, whether thinner or creamier. (If using and instant pot you can use the saute function for this)
16. 16Step 16: Add parsley and green onions if using
17. 17Step 17: Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot.
18. 18Step 18: Remove bay leaf
19. 19Step 19: Turn off the heat and serve.
20. 20Step 20: Heat up the oil in a medium saucepan.
21. 21Step 21: Sautee the onions (if using) for about 2 minutes until translucent, then add garlic and sautee for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
22. 22Step 22: Add rice, season with salt, and stir for about a minute.
23. 23Step 23: Pour in boiling water, reduce to a simmer, cover, and let it simmer until water is absorbed.
24. 24Step 24: When done, turn off the heat, and let it sit covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve!