Beans are one of the legumes known by the Mesoamerican people since ancient times. It is endemic to Central and South America, and its nutritional properties make it one of the main foods in the southern part of the continent.
Additionally, beans thrive in various types of climates, as long as they have sufficient sunlight and the soil is not too salty. They were cultivated in pre-Hispanic times from the warm lands of Central America to the cold valleys of the southern tip of the continent.
A delicious source of nutrition
Beans are a great legume because they have high protein and mineral contents, such as potassium and magnesium.
They also contain a considerable amount of fiber, which aids digestion, although excessive consumption is not recommended for people with digestive disorders.
Beans contain vitamin B and folic acid, which are essential for the proper development of fetuses in the womb, making them highly recommended for pregnant women.
Delicious beans
The seeds of the plant are consumed along with the pods, which in Cuba are referred to as 'habichuelas.' Beans come in a wide range of colors and shapes, with the main varieties being white beans or navy beans, red beans, light brown beans, and black beans.
The black and red varieties are the most consumed in Cuba.
Beans are always consumed boiled, as eating them raw would not only be difficult due to their hardness, but could also be toxic. Once cooked, they become soft and thick, losing the toxins they had when raw.
The importance of beans in the diet of the indigenous people
The indigenous people of the Antillean islands called this legume 'cunada.'
When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the Americas and encountered beans for the first time, they called them 'faba,' as they resembled, albeit smaller, the fava beans, a similar legume already consumed since Hellenistic times. The 'fabada' is not prepared with fava beans, but with white beans, also known as 'navy beans.'
Beans quickly became an important part of the diet of the colonizers and soon began to be imported to Europe and the rest of the old world. A century after the conquest, beans were becoming a very common crop in many parts of the world.
Importance of beans in Cuban cuisine
It has been said that 'frijoles dormidos' (sleeping beans) compete with ajiaco as representatives of Cuba in world cuisine. Beans were already known and consumed by the primitive inhabitants of the island long before the Spanish conquistadors arrived.
They are tastier when tender as they thicken the broth more, but with proper cooking and soaking overnight, they also taste delicious when preserved dry. Both the Spanish and African slaves willingly began to consume beans. Originally, they were cooked and flavored with bitter orange, but later it became more common to add cilantro and vinegar, following the African slave's way of preparation.
Beans with tomato a la Menocal are named after their illustrious cook, a black woman. They can be added with meat, mussels, chili, and a myriad of ingredients. The traditional black Pasqual beans are an essential element of Christmas celebrations and are prepared with cornstarch, chili, laurel, oil, and other spices.
In Cuba, beans are almost always accompanied by white rice. Whether separately on the plate or mixed, a variety they call 'congrí' when prepared with red beans, which is a representative dish of Cuba in the world.
