Mexican Rice is always accompanied by a main Mexican dish and it's my favorite side, aside from having vegetables or frijoles "beans." I've always helped my mom make this side dish for parties, get togethers, or as a simple dinner side. After I got married I couldn't remember exactly how she made it because my mom doesn't measure ingredients, and she just told me what to do and what to add.
She just knows by measuring using the palm of her hand or by the way it looks. And I know many you can relate... Our mom's just say, "tantealo" which means "test it, test what you feel." Which, didn't help at first! Which is why I am now writing down and measuring, so I can share these recipes with my future kids someday or friends that ask for it.
This recipe is made with fresh tomatoes, onion and garlic. Since the base of this recipe are tomatoes and onion, we add the tomato paste for the red orange tint color. It adds that deep, rich tomato flavor and color. If you have chicken broth, you can substitute the water for that! I sometimes do that if I have chicken broth in my pantry or fridge and I would cut down the tomato bouillon with chicken flavor measurement to 1 tsp instead.
But, even if you follow this recipe, it tastes authentic and just has more flavor. I find that if you use use the chicken bouillon, you get more sodium/ salt flavor instead of tomato.
Authentic Mexican Rice
Ingredients
1 ½ cup long grain white rice
1 garlic clove
3 medium size roma tomatoes, halved
Quarter onion
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp tomato bouillon with chicken flavor
2 cups water
1 ½ tsp salt
Directions
Preheat on medium low a medium size wide skillet, drizzle a good amount of olive oil and add in the white rice and garlic.
Saute the rice and garlic clove in the skillet by consistently stirring for about 8-10 minutes, until the rice begins to toast to light golden brown color on the exterior. Turn off heat. Set aside, so the rice doesn’t burn.
In a blender, add in the warm toasty garlic clove, tomatoes, onion, tomato paste, tomato bouillon chicken flavor, water and salt. Blend until smooth.
Place the skillet on the stove top and turn heat back on to medium high and add in the pureed tomato mixture into the skillet. Stir a little. Top with lid and turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer and cook for 20-22 minutes.
After cooking time, crack the lid open and allow to set for 5-10 minutes and fluff with a fork.
Ready to serve.
When I was little, my mom would sometimes add in fresh or frozen corn into the rice so it can cook together. It would add a sweet little bite to the rice that my siblings and I loved! Adding the corn is of course, optional!
Enjoy!
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