Mexicali Rice Food

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the oil. Once hot, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the rice is lightly golden brown all over (about 10 minutes).
• Add tomato sauce, garlic, and diced onion to the pan. Stir. Add tomato bullion, salt, carrots, peas, and water (and serrano peppers, if using. They add a little flavor, but not spice.).
• Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes or until the water is completely absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

COPYCAT RESTAURANT STYLE MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until just golden. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, pepper and cayenne and cook a few minutes more.
• Stir in onions and cook until onions are tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until rice is tender. Fluff with a fork. Stir in cilantro.

MEXICAN RICE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a large dutch oven and add the garlic and onions. Cook, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the rice. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn't burn. Cook over low heat, about 3 minutes.
• Next, add the whole tomatoes, diced tomatoes, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne and turmeric. Stir to combine and let cook, about 2 minutes. Finally, add the chicken broth and stir the mixture together. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer until the rice is not quite done, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Top with the cheese, and then bake with the lid off until the cheese is melted and the rice fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Serve with chopped cilantro.

RESTAURANT STYLE MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the rice and gently stir until rice begins to lightly brown. Add the garlic, salt, and cumin and stir the rice til it looks golden.
• Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth and turn the heat up to medium high. Bring the mix to a boil then turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove from heat and fluff with a fork, then stir in chopped cilantro.

MEXICALI CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook turkey, onions and pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, breaking up turkey into crumbles, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in beans, tomatoes, water, rice, olives, chili powder and salt., Transfer to an 11x7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, covered, until rice is tender, 50-55 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer.

LOADED MEXICALI CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a hot pan, melt butter and oil; immediately brown chicken on all sides (about 15 minutes total).
• Put rice and water into a covered large casserole pan--microwave for about 45 minutes until soft and plump--check your owner's manual. My microwave has "rice" cycle.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix sauce ingredients--EXCEPT cheese.
• Place chicken in a 13x9-inch pan or a casserole dish, pour sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with cheese; cover lightly with foil.
• Bake chicken for 35-40 minutes; remove foil, continue baking for 5-10 minutes.
• Serve with rice and use chicken sauce for a gravy.

MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350.
• Process tomato and onion in processor or blender until pureed and thoroughly smooth. Transfer mixture to measuring cup and reserve exactly 2 cups. Discard excess.
• Remove ribs and seeds from 2 jalapenos and discard. Mince flesh and set aside. Mince remaining jalapeno. Set aside.
• Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear- about 1 1/2 minutes.Shake rice vigorously to remove excess water.This step removes the starch from the rice so it will not stick. IF YOU OMIT THIS STEP YOUR RICE WILL NOT BE DRY AND FLUFFY.
• Heat oil in heavy bottomed ovensafe 12 inch straight sided sautee pan or Dutch oven with tight fitting lid over low-medium heat about 2 minutes. (The recipe is very specific about this but I used a 10 inch dutch oven and it worked out fine.) Drop a few rice grains in and if they sizzle then it is ready. Add rice and fry stirring until rice is light golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Be careful that the oil doesn't get too hot too fast or the oil will splatter.
• Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and 2 minced jalapenos and cook , stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Stir in broth, pureed mixture,tomato paste, and salt. Increase heat to medium high, and bring to a boil.
• Cover pan and transfer pan to oven to bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30-35 minutes.Stir well after 15 minutes.
• Stir in cilantro, minced jalapeno to taste, and pass lime wedges separately.
• Edited to add 6-15-05: If you can't get good fresh tomatoes you are better off using canned tomatoes. Don't use those awful hard and underipe tomatoes that are at most supermarket chains. Just be sure that the processed tomatoes and the one onion equals 2 cups. One the other hand- if you find that after processing your tomatoes and onions that you have less than 2 cups- simply add enough bottled salsa to make up the difference.
• Edited 8-21-06: Do not skip any of the steps. It may seem stupid- but rinsing the rice to remove the starch is very important if you want fluffy rice. It will only take two minutes of your time but it makes the difference.
• Edited 8-15-08: Leftovers are just as delicious the next day so this is a perfect dish to make ahead time for potlucks. This rice also freezes well. For Freezing Ahead: Cool, portion and freeze in a ziploc bag. To reheat from frozen: Place in a pyrex dish and warm in the microwave, stirring every 2-3 minutes until heated through.
• You'll love this rice! Money back guarantee.