This recipe is basic, with no heavy spices. That makes it good as a standalone with a spicy entrée or as part of something else.
Mexican Rice
1/2 cup olive oil1/2 medium diced white onion
3-4 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1-4 dried de arbol or puya chilis
1 dried bay leaf
2 cups basmati rice
2 cups water
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan
- Add the onions, salt, and garlic and stir until the onions are translucent
- Add in the rice and toast it. Stir just enough to keep it from scorching
- Cook until the rice is fragrant, 4-5 minutes
- Add the water, bay leaf, tomatoes and chilis, bring to a boil
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes
- Remove from the heat and let stand a few minutes
- You can fluff the rice up with a fork and a spritz or two of olive oil
- Remove chilis and bay leaf
Any dried Mexican chili should work. De arbol are not super hot, puya even less so. Pequin dried chili would be a good hot chili to try.
I was lazy and used canned tomatoes, it would be much better with fresh tomatoes. 14 oz, including the liquid.
