Traditionally cooked with medium-grain rice, aged Basmati rice is used here for its capacity to soak up more of the flavorful cooking liquid.
Cook’s notes
In this recipe, the rice is cooked with turmeric, cumin, garlic, oregano and onion, and simmered in chicken broth for deeper flavors.
Simmered in chicken broth? Yes, this isn’t Asian fried rice. It’s cooked like pilaf. Instead of letting rice absorb water, the grains soak up chicken broth, tomato sauce and spices.
Mexican red rice (arroz rojo)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (not extra virgin)
- 1 medium onion peeled and chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper deseeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 ½ cups long grain rice
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ¼ cups tomato sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- sliced scallions or torn cilantro, to garnish
Instructions
- In a thick-bottomed pan, heat the olive oil.
- Saute the onion, bell pepper and garlic until the onion pieces are translucent.
- Pour in the rice and cook, stirring, until every grain is coated with oil and the rice grains are opaque.
- Add the turmeric, cumin, oregano, about a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring, for have a minute or until the coloring is even.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and cook to distribute evenly.
- Pour in the broth, stir and bring everything to the boil.
- Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook the rice for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice grains have absorbed all the liquid.
- With a fork, fluff up the rice.
- Taste the rice; add more salt and pepper, as needed.
- Cover the pan and, OFF the heat, let the rice cook in the residual heat for another five minutes.
Gyoza