Habichuelas Guisada con Tortas

Vegan Puerto Rican Stewed Beans & Fry bread
!

This is what we call "comida pobre", meaning it's food for the poor. It costs literally a few bucks for all the ingredients and can feed the whole family. It not only feeds them, it tastes amazing! This is a dish my grandmother would make when she had to feed her family of 6 with hardly any ingredients & It's a dish that we still make no matter the status of our bank accounts, it's just that good! I did change an ingredient to make it vegan friendly. There was no ham added, and smoked paprika was used instead to add that smoky flavor I love so much. I might have to tell my mom to make this for me asap! I'm suddenly craving it.

Fry Bread
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
Oil, for frying

Note: Try baking them. It's a healthier option but it might change the texture of the bread. Still a delicious option.

Directions
Put flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well, add warm water and stir until dough begins to stick and form balls. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface. Do not over-work the dough, this will cause the bread to be tough. After working dough, place in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 min. to 1 hour.
Heat oil in a frying pan or kettle. Lightly flour surface and pat and roll out baseball size pieces of dough. You know you're Puerto Rican when you use a Corona bottle as a rolling pin...

Roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness and place in oil and cook until golden brown and flip over and cook opposite side until same golden brown. Dough is done in about 3 minutes depending on oil temperature and thickness of dough. Serve immediately.

Vegan Habichuelas guisada
1 can Pinto beans (I prefer fresh beans, soaked and softened)
2 C water (or vegetable stock)
5 Tbsp Fresh Sofrito
1 Potato or handful of Calabaza (pumpkin) peeled and cubed
2 Bay leaves
Sazón
1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
5 Spanish olives
1 Tbsp Annato oil
4 oz. Tomato sauce

Directions:
Heat oil annato oil and saute the sofrito for about 3 min. Add the tomato sauce, sazón, olives, smoked paprika, and bay leaves. Saute for another 2 min. and then add the beans potato/calabaza, and water/veggie stock. Bring to a boil then simmer on Med/low heat until potatoes soften and sauce thickens. If it's too watery try mashing some of the potatoes in the sauce, it will thicken it right up (a little trick my mom showed me). Serve with fry bread. Open them up and fill them, or dip them. It's the best comfort food you'll ever have!