Mexican Red Rice

Mexican Red Rice

from recipetineats.com
18 min
247 kcal / serving

Fluffy, beautifully seasoned Mexican Red Rice (Arroz Rojo). With a whisper of coriander / cilantro flavour, this is tasty enough to eat plain. The key to fluffy rice is the right water to rice ratio, and don't use too much tomato paste otherwise the liquid gets too thick = gluggy rice. Makes just over 3 cups, once fluffed. Scale up recipe by using slider on Servings. See AUTHENTICITY note below. Recipe VIDEO below.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tbspolive oil
  • 2garlic cloves (, minced)
  • ½ smallwhite onion (, finely chopped)
  • 1 cuplong grain white rice (, uncooked (note 1))
  • 1 ¾ cupschicken or vegetable broth ((note 2))
  • 2 ½ tbsptomato paste
  • ¼ tspsalt
  • 1serrano or jalapeno pepper (, whole (optional))
  • 1 sprigcoriander / cilantro
  • finely chopped coriander / cilantro leaves

Directions

  1. 1

    Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, stir briefly, then add onion. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes until translucent (not browned / golden).

  2. 2

    Add rice, broth, salt and tomato paste. Stir until tomato paste is dissolved.

  3. 3

    Plonk in jalapeno and coriander. Cover, bring to simmer, then lower heat to low so the water is simmering gently.

  4. 4

    Cook for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed (tilt pot to check).

  5. 5

    Remove from heat, leave lid on and rest for 10 minutes (KEY STEP). The residual liquid on the surface of the rice will get absorbed and rice will go from sticky to fluffy.

  6. 6

    Fluff with fork then serve! (Optional: garnish with extra coriander)