3 spiced short black beans Recipes

dried black beans (about 2 1/4 cups), water, turkish or 1/2 california bay leaf, dried ancho chiles (3 to 4 medium), boiling-hot water, onion, chopped, garlic cloves, coarsely chopped, chopped canned chipotles in adobo plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce, tomato paste, molasses (not robust or blackstrap), cumin seeds, cold water, divided, beef short ribs, vegetable oil, sliced bacon, chopped, cinnamon stick, accompaniments: chopped white or red onion ; chopped cilantro

fresh or dry rice noodles, tender cut of steak, thinly sliced in bite-size strips, set aside in refrigerator until use (optional), beef flank, beef meat balls, cut in half or leave whole (optional), ground white pepper, fresh bean sprouts , chinese broccoli long sliced or fresh spinach, short cilantro sprigs, green onions thinly sliced, fried garlic oil - 8 cloves of chopped garlic fried in 1/4 cup of peanut oil for topping, water, star anise or five spices, stalks lemongrass , cut in 2-inch segments and crushed, section fresh or frozen galangal, crushed (or use 6 dried pieces), head garlic cloves, crushed whole for stock, cilantro roots, up tbsp. thick black soy sauce, sea salt, side condiments, sliced hot pepper in vinegar, sugar, hot dried red pepper blended, fish sauce