Rinse the dried black beans under cold running water in a colander.

Sort through the rinsed beans and remove any stones or debris.

Place the beans in a pot and cover with fresh cold water.

Soak the beans for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

Drain the soaked beans.

In a large pot, combine the drained beans with 1 quart of water, chopped onion, chopped green bell pepper, minced garlic, bay leaf, black pepper, cumin, coriander, salt, and cayenne pepper.

Bring the mixture to a boil.

Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.

Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the beans are tender.

Drain the beans, reserving the liquid for other uses.

Discard the bay leaf before serving.