Lubya Hamra (Lebanese Red Beans and Rice)

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Prep Time10

Cook Time55

Total Time1 5

Course: dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Lebanese

Keyword: Lebanese Red Beans and Rice, Lubya Hamra

Servings: servings

Author: Lama

Rinse the dried red beans under cold water. Add to a large pot with enough water to cover by several inches. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the beans are fully tender and cooked through. Before draining, carefully ladle out and reserve exactly 1 cup of the bean cooking water.
Heat a ¼ cup of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden, caramelized, and sweet. Once done, remove half of the caramelized onions and set them aside in a bowl.
To the same pot with the remaining caramelized onions still in it, add the cooked red beans, the rinsed and drained basmati rice, the reserved 1 cup of bean water, the additional ¼ cup of water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and seven spice. Stir gently to combine everything without breaking the beans.
Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 15-18 minutes until the rice is tender and fully cooked. Do not lift the lid during this time.
Turn off the heat. Place the reserved caramelized onions on top of the rice. Cover the pot again and let the dish rest for 10 minutes.
Gently fluff the rice with a fork and serve warm with a generous spoonful of plain yogurt on the side or directly on top.

The bean quality matters more than anything else. I strongly recommend the Heartland large red beans from Restaurant Depot for their exceptional chestnut-like flavor. If you cannot find them, use any good-quality dried red beans, but avoid old dried beans that have been sitting in your pantry for too long, as they take longer to cook and have less flavor.
Make sure the beans are fully cooked before building the pilaf. Undercooked beans are the biggest mistake people make. Press one between your fingers before draining. It should give with zero resistance. If there is any firmness left, keep cooking. Undercooked beans will not soften further once the rice is added and the liquid is absorbed.
Save the bean water; it is not optional. The single step that most home cooks overlook is reserving that 1 cup of bean cooking water before draining. That starchy liquid is what cooks the rice and gives it an earthy depth that plain water simply cannot replicate. Set a reminder before you drain the pot.
Do not rush the onions. The caramelized onions are the soul of this dish. Cook them on medium heat until they are truly deep golden and sweet, not just soft and pale.