Arroz Mexicano

I will start off by saying, Mexican rice recipes can be a bit of a touchy subject to some - everyone has a signature way of making Mexican rice and my way is by no means the only way! I want to remind my readers that the purpose of this blog is to share my family recipes with those who are eager to learn and maybe try a different way. I learned how to make this rice by watching my mom, who watched hers, and so on.

I remember getting frustrated when I first started living on my own because I couldn't quite get the ratios right, I would call my mom but she would say "ponle tantito de eso y tantito del otro.." which is typical cooking advice from her since my mom never measures anything! So after much trial and error, I figured out the ratios and the exact measurements that work best for me. Pair this rice with literally any Mexican dish as a side, alone, with slices of banana on top (yeah seriously with bananas, kiddos love it) - anything! It‘s versatile and delicious.

My Mistakes: If you take anything from this recipe it should be ratios, ratios, RATIOS! They are important. Sticking to your ratios will ensure your rice comes out good every time and avoid mushy or hard rice because.. ¡guacala!

Ingredients:

1 C. white rice

1.5 C. water (no more no less)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. chicken bouillon (Knorr)

1 roma tomato

1 small clove of garlic

1 chunk of onion (about 1/2 oz.)

2 Tbs. veggie oil

Procedure:

Step 1:

Puree your tomato, onion, garlic, salt, and bouillon until smooth. If you have a strong blender, try not to add any water to create this puree. If your blender needs some liquid to get going, use about 2oz of your 1.5 cups of water and blend. Tip: To get fluffy rice, you have to mind your water ratio. Too much water and your rice will become mush. Keep in mind, your tomato and onion hold some water so that is why we are using as little as possible. Trust me on this porfis!

Step 2:

Toast your rice in oil for about 10 minutes or until it turns a deep golden brown on medium-high heat. You won't want to step away at this point, you will need to move it around constantly and keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Charred rice is definitely not the move. I do not wash my rice beforehand for this particular dish. I know it sounds like an abomination to some but I've tried washing it before and it completely ruined my rice, so I just stick to how it's been done in my family for ages!

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Step 3:

Once your rice is nice and toasty, add your tomato puree. Caution: it will sizzle and jump, make sure your hood vent is on full blast. Soon after you pour your puree, ensure all of your rice is coated in the sauce. Pour the remaining water back in the blender, swish around to get all the leftover puree, and pour into the rice.

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Step 4:

Let your broth break into a quick boil then immediately lower to a simmer and cover. Let cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Seriously, be patient! To check if your rice is done, scoot some rice, and check if there is still moisture at the bottom (example pictured). If there is, cover and check back on it in 5 minutes. If there's no moisture at the bottom, it’s done! Set aside on an unused burner and let it settle for 5-10 minutes and then fluff. Tip: DO NOT fluff your rice right away or you can mash it. Let it settle and cool a bit before you fluff it.

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Ta-da! There you have your delicious and easy Arroz Mexicano. Play around with this recipe and see what you like and don't like - use it as a basic guideline. If you like more salt, add more salt. If you want to use canned crushed tomatoes, go at it. Try and discover new things and make your own signature arroz. Once you get your rice down, you'll want to share it with the world!