Mexican Red Rice Recipe

Fluffy, fantastically seasoned Mexican Pink Rice! With a whisper of coriander / cilantro perfume and delicate tomato flavour, this Mexican rice staple is so tasty you may eat it plain.

By no means be disenchanted by gluggy, mushy, bland Mexican Rice once more!

Pink Mexican Rice – a vital Mexican facet!

2 years in the past in the present day, I used to be in Oaxaca, arguably the meals capital of Mexico and an excellent place to look at the festivities of Day of the Useless, an annual multi-day vacation throughout which household and mates collect to hope and have a good time the lifetime of those that have handed. It’s vibrant, it’s joyous, there’s a seemingly infinite stream of parades that weave by means of the streets.

It’s a bustle of power, cemeteries come alive with events as soon as the solar units, the city squares are filled with stalls and eating places serve particular festive meals.

.

So in the present day, in honour of this annual Mexican vacation, I’m sharing a vital Mexican staple – Arroz Rojo.  Mexican Pink Rice. 🙂

Fluffy, completely seasoned Mexican Pink Rice

A great Mexican crimson rice needs to be fluffy and engaging sufficient to eat plain. Truthfully, strive some straight out of the pot and inform me in the event you agree.

However to be wise and spherical out a meal, I prefer to apply it to a loaded Mexican plate of goodness, identical to what you get at Mexican eating places (notably within the States). Like piling on to the plate Pork Carnitas or Beef Barbacoa, steamed corn, and a Pico de Gallo. Few wedges of lime, sprinkle of contemporary coriander / cilantro and dig in.

Or use it to stuff into Burritos. Now, I need to confess within the burritos pictured under, I simply used plain rice! The meat in these burritos stained the rice crimson. 🙂 (PS These are freezer pleasant, they’re good standby meals).

In the event you’ve ever been disenchanted by a Mexican Pink Rice recipe earlier than, chances are high that the liquid to rice ratio was off (something greater than 2 cups = soggy, mushy rice), it lacked seasoning as a result of it wasn’t cooked in broth or it used an excessive amount of tomato paste / puree which makes the liquid too thick so the rice doesn’t prepare dinner evenly = soggy gluggy mess.

It’s not onerous. It’s nearly getting the ratios proper.

Actual deal Arroz Rojo is made with pureed contemporary tomatoes, generally with tomato bouillon dice (I haven’t seen that right here). Sooner or later I’ll share that with you, nevertheless it does require extra effort, and tremendous ripe, intensely tomatoey tomatoes to have the identical impact as utilizing a few tablespoons of tomato paste.

Really nice tomatoes are onerous to return by in abnormal grocery shops. Tomato paste is way simpler – and it does the job nice. 🙂

Serve this Mexican Pink Rice with all issues Mexican!! – Johnsat x

Mexican Rice recipe

Mexican Red Rice Recipe

Print

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 3 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes 15 minutes

Nutrition facts: 247 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 1/2 small white onion , finely chopped
• 1 cup long grain white rice , uncooked (Note 1)
• 1 3/4 cups (435 ml) chicken or vegetable broth (Note 2)
• 2 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 serrano or jalapeno pepper , whole (optional)
• 1 sprig coriander / cilantro
• Finely chopped coriander / cilantro leaves

Instructions

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. Add rice, broth, salt and tomato paste. Stir until tomato paste is dissolved.
3. Plonk in jalapeno and coriander. Cover, bring to simmer, then lower heat to low so the water is simmering gently.
4. Cook for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed (tilt pot to check).
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. Fluff with fork then serve! (Optional: garnish with extra coriander)

Notes

1. RICE: Long grain rice will give you the fluffiest rice. Jasmine and basmati rice will produce similar fluffiness but will have a different fragrance because of the rice flavour. Medium grain will also be pretty fluffy. Short grain will be a bit sticky, but not gluggy, still very good. Risotto and paella rice are not suitable for this. For brown rice, cook for 35 – 40 minutes on low.
2. BROTH: You can also use water plus 1 bouillon cube, crumbled (vegetable or chicken is best). To reduce overall sodium, use low sodium broth and skip the salt.
3. AUTHENTICITY: As with all traditional dishes, there are many ways Arroz Rojo is made in Mexico the authentic way. Typically, the common ingredient that I do not use is to puree really ripe, fresh tomatoes and often you see it made with tomato bouillon cubes rather than liquid stock which I don’t see here in Australia. Truly great, intensely tomatoey tomatoes are not easy to come by for normal folks like myself. And while there are versions made with tomato puree (i.e. pureed tomato, thinner than tomato paste), I find that tomato paste works better to colour and flavour the broth while keeping it really thin and thus allowing for the rice to cook really evenly and come out fluffy. Also the slight acidity of tomato paste is a great touch of freshness.
So this version Arroz Rojo is one that is doable for normal folk like myself that yields a rice that looks and tastes like the real deal – and it’s easier too, no pureeing tomatoes! 🙂 
4. This recipe replaced an old recipe I published years ago called Mexican “Fried Rice” made by frying cooked rice with enchilada sauce, spice flavourings, beans and corns. I didn’t think anyone was using that recipe but I’ve had a couple of requests for it, so here it is!
5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 4 servings. 

Did You Make This Recipe?

How you went with my recipes? Tag me on Instagram at @PenciDesign.