Mexican Red Rice

Mexican Red Rice is one of the basic staples and side dish one should know how to make. This version of the Mexican Red Rice recipe has a very nice texture. If you follow the recipe your rice will not turn out broken or mushy but perfect each time. The recipe is very easy and quick to prepare and therefore great to accompany any meal.

In the 1520’s rice was brought to Mexico by the Spaniards.

Introducing European elements to the Mexican kitchen was a first example of fusion cooking. By integrating Spanish ingredients into the Mexican kitchen the modern Mexican cuisine was created, of which rice is an important part. The Spanish rice was prepared with saffron, which was too expensive for the people in Mexico and therefore replaced with tomatoes.

In the different parts of Mexico the rice dishes were prepared differently depending of the local indigenous ingredients available.  

With Mexico having a monsoon like rainy season in summer it made the country most suitable for the growth of rice. Two yearly rice harvests are possible in the state of Campeche and the state of Veracruz is also suitable for a summer harvest. Half of the rice produced in Mexico is produced in those two states.

Rice has become an important part of most Mexican main meals and Mexican cuisine without rice would be unthinkable.

For the Youtube video of this recipe follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dChM_8SAJwg

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5 from 1 vote

Mexican Red Rice

Mexican red rice is one of the basic staples and side dishe one should know how to make. We often hear comments of how people can't get the texture right when they cook red rice. They say their rice looks broken or mushy. If you follow our recipe we guarantee that your Mexican Red rice will be PERFECT!!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Resting time10 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Red Rice

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup white rice (parboiled)
• 2 cups chicken stock homemade
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/4 onion
• 1 garlic clove
• parsley
• 1/4 onion finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove finely chopped
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 carrot chopped up in finely cubes
• 1/3 cup peas fresh or frozen
• 1 Jalapeño pepper
• 2 tsp Knorr tomato powdered buillon

Instructions

• blend in the blender the tomatoes, the onion quarter, the garlic clove and the Knorr tomato powdered buillon
• heat up and melt the cooking oil and butter in the sauté pan
• add the white rice and let it fry for about 2min
• add the chopped onion and chopped garlic and stir it for 1min
• add the tomato puree from the blender, stir it and let it cook for about 2min
• add the chicken stock, the carrots, the peas, the parsley and the jalapeño pepper. Slice an opening to the jalapeño pepper so the juices can come out and give flavour to the rice. For more spicyness cut up the jalapeño pepper. stir it gently
• cover the rice and simmer it at low heat for 20min or until the liquid is absorbed. Don't stir the rice.
• gently fluff up the rice with a fork
• cover the rice again and let it rest for 5 to 10min

Video

Notes

To check if the rice is done, squish it between two fingers. If it’s soft the rice is cooked.