Craving for a different and tasteful rice? Mexican rice is sure to do the trick, whether it’s for impressing your guests or adding some excitement to your meal. It has bold flavors, different textures, and vibrant colors, which make it stand out from other rice dishes.
The extraordinary things about Mexican Rice
Mexican rice is distinctive because it has a special mix of ingredients that brings a unique taste. Typically, it has onions, garlic, jalapeño peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro. Then, spices like chili powder or cumin further make it even more impactful, while adding pinto beans or corn creates a unique texture. Lastly, red, green, and yellow peppers give the Mexican rice eye-catching vibrant colors.
What’s more, this food is incredibly versatile. Spice it up with cheese, sour cream, or salsa for a more delightful twist. Furthermore, Mexican rice is a good side dish, a main course, or even the star of the meal.
To enjoy Mexican rice, you may make it personally or conveniently order from a restaurant like Blue Corn. An important thing to remember is this dish is undoubtedly tasteful if it has high-quality ingredients. It is ideal for picking the best options for long-grain white rice, quality stock or broth, good olive oil, and fresh cilantro.
Tips to make tasteful Mexican rice
Here’s a step-by-step guide and some tips to make delightful Mexican Rice:
Toasting the rice: Heat a tablespoon of oil in your skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the grains of long-grain white rice and frequently stir until they’re golden brown and fragrant. This step adds flavor to your Mexican rice dish and helps prevent clumping.
Add aromatics: When the rice is toasted, add garlic and onion to the skillet. Then, continue stirring until fragrant.
Tip: Cook the onion and garlic first to ensure that these are cooked through. Sauté these ingredients in some olive oil until softened. It will add more flavor to the dish.
Make a delicious base: Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and diced tomatoes or tomato sauce. Then, mix all these ingredients and let them simmer for about five minutes.
Put liquid: Add chicken or vegetable broth to the skillet once the aromatics and spices have been cooked together.
Tip: Add the liquid into the pot slowly and continuously, stirring until it mixes with other ingredients. This step helps to ensure all of the flavors blend nicely.
Bring it all to a boil: Increase the heat until it reaches a rolling boil. Then, decrease and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
Tip: Cook your Mexican rice uncovered on low heat for about 20 minutes. It makes rice absorb all of the liquid.
Serve it right: Turn off the heat and let the Mexican rice stand for five to 10 minutes. Serve hot alongside your favorite tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or just by itself.
Tip: Let it sit covered for about 10 minutes before serving. It helps to redistribute moisture evenly throughout the dish.
Add additional flavorings: Stir in fresh cilantro, diced bell pepper, or jalapenos for extra spice. You can add corn, black beans, peas, or shredded chicken for a heartier meal.
Tip: Explore other popular Mexican foods.
If you are in a rush or have no time and energy to make Mexican rice, ordering it from your favorite Mexican restaurant is always a choice. Restaurant chefs have experience preparing this type of dish to perfection. They also use the best ingredients or techniques that are difficult to access in a typical kitchen.