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Mexican Red Rice

Mexican Red Rice

I love rice. It is an ingredient I always have in the larder. It's quick, healthy and very versatile. Growing up, my mam would have used rice as a side dish at least 3 or 4 times a week. The first rice plants arrived with the Spaniards in the 1520's and the seeds quickly took to the warm, moist climate of the States of Veracruz and Colima, both situated along the Gulf of Mexico. Nowadays, rice is served on every table in Mexico, it has become part of our traditions and cuisine, so naturally, I use it a lot. The other half loves me when I make a big pot of this Mexican Red Rice and there's loads of leftovers for him to eat throughout the day in small portions he calls 'snacks', (please don't ask, I often think I should have titled this blog: What my tall, slim, hollowed leg Irish man eats!).

In Mexico I use short-grain rice, but I've used the long-grain rice commonly available in Ireland as well as the basmati rice variety with great results so feel free to use either. There are tons and tons of recipes online and in books, but I use my mam's with a little bit of tweaking as it is by far my favourite; it is a combination of Red Rice and Garden Rice. When I first published this recipe a reader wrote to me to say, she'd made it and it was delicious, but could I suggest what to do with the immense amount of leftover rice she had! I realised then that my recipe made a lot of rice and if the reader was not rice crazy like my other half is, this was going to be too much rice for the regular household, so reader beware, half the recipe would be enough for 2-3 people. Note on water: Use 2 cups of water per every cup of rice!!

Ingredients

  • 6 cups of boiling water from the kettle
  • 2 big tomatoes, cut in half
  • 3 chicken stock cubes
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, deseeded and finely diced
  • 1/2 fresh green chili, finely chopped
  • 3 cups long grain rice
  • 1 carrot, peeled & finely diced
  • 150 gram tin of sweet corn, drained
  • 1 cup of frozen garden peas

I like the tinned sweet corn that comes with bits of pepper, but you can also use frozen sweet corn.

Steps

Start by putting half the water, the tomatoes, stock cubes, garlic, black pepper and salt in a blender or food processor and blitz until you have a smooth tomato sauce. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan with a lid. When the oil is warm, add the onion slices, the bell pepper and the chilli and gently fry for a minute until the onion starts to soften. Add the rice and fry it gently stirring frequently until the rice becomes translucent, two minutes approximately. The aromas coming from the pan should be delicious.

As soon as the rice is translucent and shiny, pour the contents of the blender and the remainder of the hot water. Follow immediately by the carrot, sweet corn and garden peas. Stir the rice so all ingredients are incorporated, taste to adjust seasoning and cover the pan. Lower the heat to low and let the rice cook slowly for 20 minutes or until all the water is all absorbed. Check it after 15 minutes in case it needs extra water to finish off. I always taste it and stick a spoon to check that it is not sticking to the bottom of the pot, if you notice it is, stir the rice gently, lower the heat again and let it finish off cooking. Cook the last five minutes uncovered to help the rice dry out.

Serve the rice hot as a side dish, it is truly tasty! I love it with mole or mole tacos, chiles rellenos, with some Yucatan Style Steam Chicken, or as Alan likes it, as a stand alone dish. It freezes really well and it keeps in the fridge covered for a week. Excellent for packed lunches if a microwave for heating is available. I love it with slices of banana on top, I know, I know, it sounds gross but don't mock me until you've tried it!


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Recipe Ingredients

Mexican Red Rice