Mexican rice

#methods/one-pot #cuisines/mexican #meals/packed-lunch #meals/dinner #trader-joes #dishes/carb #dietary/gluten-free #scalable #active-time/30mins-or-less
https://thewoksoflife.com/mexican-rice-recipe/#recipe
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1.5 tablespoons oil
• 1.25 cups uncooked long grain white rice (450g)
• 1.5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock, or water + 1 bouillon cube (710 ml)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup plain tomato sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 jalapeno, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. First, heat oil in a deep skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir constantly until the rice begins to turn golden brown. The toastier your rice, the tastier it will be (information gleaned from my friend, via her grandma of course).
2. Next, add the chicken stock. The mixture will bubble up, and should be followed immediately by the remaining ingredients (tomatoes and spices).
3. Bring to a boil, stirring the tomato paste to dissolve it if using, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Immediately turn the heat down to low and set a timer for 20 minutes.
4. During or when the rice is done cooking, you may want to check moisture levels. If you smell a hint of a burnt scent, your heat is too high! In this scenario, if the rice is cooked, remove from the heat. If it’s not cooked, lower the heat, and add water ½ cup at a time to continue the cooking process. If it’s too wet, leave the lid slightly ajar or off the pan entirely.
5. When the rice is done, add jalapeño (if desired), fluff it with a fork, and serve!
6. Serve with meat (carnitas, pollo asado, etc.) and beans (refried, pinto, black, etc.).

Journal

• 2023-08-28: second time making it; did it with brown basmati rice (Lundberg). Tasty! Had to add a good amount of extra water because the rice cooked pretty slowly.