Which country was the first to cook rice and beans?

It's impossible to pinpoint exactly which country was the first to cook rice and beans together. Here's why:

* Independent Development: Rice and beans were domesticated in different parts of the world. Rice originated in Asia, while beans originated in the Americas. It's likely that people in both regions developed ways to cook them long before any contact between the continents.

* Ancient Origins: The earliest known rice cultivation dates back thousands of years in Asia, and bean cultivation in the Americas is similarly ancient. Without archaeological evidence, it's difficult to say with certainty where or when the combination of rice and beans first appeared.

* Global Spread: The combination of rice and beans is popular in many cultures around the world. This suggests that the idea of cooking them together likely arose independently in several places over time.

Therefore, rather than focusing on a single country, it's more accurate to acknowledge the long and independent histories of rice and bean cultivation and their widespread popularity in cuisines worldwide.