Traditional Mexican Rice Food

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.

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.

AUTHENTIC MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Boil tomatoes in water until skin bursts.
• In blender, puree tomatoes, and half of the garlic and onion.
• Brown rice in oil.
• Add the rest of the garlic and onion to rice.
• Pour tomato sauce over rice.
• Do not stir mixture.
• Simmer for 5 minute.
• Add broth and cilantro.
• Let simmer for 30 minutes (until rice is soft) without stirring.

MEXICAN WHITE RICE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook the corn kernels in the hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir the poblano pepper, onion, peas, garlic, and carrot into the corn; cook and stir another 5 minutes.
• Pour the water and milk into the mixture; bring to a boil. Allow the butter to melt into the boiling mixture. Add the rice and stir. Season with chicken bouillon; cover the saucepan, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer the mixture until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

EASY AUTHENTIC MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season oil with onion powder and garlic powder. Cook and stir rice in seasoned oil until rice is golden, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Pour water and tomato sauce over the rice; stir. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

MEXICAN RICE RESTAURANT STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350-F. - Bake 30 minutes total, stirring after 15 minutes.
• Place rice in strainer and rinse under running water until it runs clear. About 2-minutes. This is important to create a dry, non-sticky restaurant style rice.
• Drain rice, making sure to shake out as much water as possible.
• Heat canola oil to medium high in a dutch oven (3qt to 6qt) on the stove top. Drop a few rice grains in the oil. When they sizzle, add all remaining rice. Stir constantly and fry rice until it is light golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.
• Add onions and stir into rice. Cook while stirring about 2 more minutes. Add garlic and stir for another minute.
• Stir in chicken broth, tomato paste, green chilies and diced tomatoes. Stir well and bring to a boil.
• When rice reaches a boil, place lid on dutch oven and place in 350-F preheated oven. Bake 15-minutes then open oven and stir well. Replace dutch oven lid and bake another 15 to 20-minutes until done.
• Remove from oven and stir in chopped cilantro. Cover and allow to rest about 5 minutes before serving to allow cilantro flavor to be absorbed by the rice.

MY FAVORITE MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in rice; cook and stir until rice is lightly browned and gives off a toasted fragrance, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, green chiles, onion, garlic, salt, cumin, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread Monterey Jack cheese on top, then replace the lid and allow the cheese to melt, about 5 minutes more.

BAKED MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place rice in a 9-inch square baking dish. Drizzle in canola oil; stir to coat rice completely. Stir in green pepper, onion, and green onions. Season with sazon seasoning, cumin, garlic powder, coriander, and salt.
• Combine water and tomato sauce in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Heat until simmering, about 2 minutes. Pour over the rice and stir briefly. Cover the baking dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Stir in cilantro and squeeze lime juice over the top.

ARROZ A LA MEXICANA-TRADITIONAL MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• In a small pan bring the broth to simmering.
• Set a large pan over medium heat-add the oil, then the rice and onion and cook, stirring, until both the rice and onion are light brown-around 10 minutes.
• Mix in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the pureed tomato Add the broth Add the optional ingredients-except cilantro and cheese Scrape the rice down and stir well.
• Reduce heat to a medium low, cover and finish cooking-around 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and toss and either stir in cilantro or offer at the table-I offer at the table because either you love it-like I do-or hate it, and offer the queso fresco or farmers cheese.

TRADITIONAL MEXICAN RED RICE

Steps:

• Put the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. When hot, add the rice and stir until it just starts to change color, about 1 minute. Do not allow it to brown. Add the tomato mixture,and stir gently to blen. Add 2 cups hot water, the peas, corn, carrot, chiles, cilantro, and 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt. Bring to a boil, shaking the pan to mix the ingredients. Reduce the heat to low Taste the broth and add more sea salt if needed, then cover and cook for about 10 minutes.
• Uncover and stir carefully so that all of th eroth is mixed in (most will have been absorbed). recover and cook until all the broth is absorbed, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Before serving, remove the cilantro and chiles and fluff the rice with a fork.