How to prepare pinto beans?
First, spread the dry pinto beans out on a piece of waxed paper or newspaper and slowly pick through them to remove stems, stones, and debris. Wash them thoroughly in a colander and put them in a kettle half-filled with water. Bring them to a boil and let them boil for two minutes; turn off the heat and as soon as they simmer down, put a tight lid on the pot. Let this sit for two hours. Rinse the beans thoroughly in a colander, wash out the pot, and put the beans back into the pot. Cover the beans with water plus another 4 to 5 inches of water; add diced tomatoes, diced onion, powdered cumin and chili powder. Boil these for several hours till tender; add salt and pepper last.
