Mexican Rice Recipe

Yummy that's what Mexican recipes are! With that thought in mind, here are 3 delicious recipes for you to try out at home. Bon Apptit!

The History of Rice in Mexico

Rice was first introduced to Mexicans via the Philippines and then transported to Acapulco in the famous ship Nao de China. Later on the Spaniards found the lush tropical climate of the Veracruz region of Mexico to be the perfect place to grow rice. It was from here that rice achieved culinary prominence.

Uses of Rice in Mexico

Traditionally, rice is served as the second course of the midday meal. It is not only reserved as a savory dish but is also used in cakes, desserts, vegetable puddings, tamales, atoles and horchata.

Mexican Red Tomato Rice

Required Ingredients

• 1 can of whole tomatoes (drained)
• a small white onion (roughly chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (halved)
• 1- cups of chicken broth or water
• 1- tablespoons of olive oil
• 4 whole tomatoes (unpeeled)
• 1- cups of rice (medium-grain)
• 2 carrots (scraped and chopped into inch pieces)
• 2 serrano chilies or 2 jalapenos (slit lengthwise nearly end to end)
• cup of chopped fresh parsley
• cup of a 10-oz. Box of frozen peas
• Salt

• Combine the canned tomatoes with onion and garlic and blend in a blender. Blend the tomatoes smooth to equal 1 cup.
• Heat the broth/water until it is steaming and then lightly oil the tomatoes.
• Grill the tomatoes enough to char their skins. When the tomatoes have cooled, remove the peels and chop them.
• Take a 3-quart saucepan and heat olive oil in it over a medium flame. To this add raw rice and stir regularly during a cooking period of 5 minutes.
• Add the tomato mixture and carrots, and stir for a few minutes. Let it cook until it looks somewhat dry.
• After this, add the warm broth or water, chilies and parsley and stir the mixture thoroughly.
• Cover the pan with a lid and place on a range burner or a cooking grate of charcoal or gas grill (indirect, medium flame).
• Cover this for 15 minutes or until the liquid is almost absorbed. Then add peas and grilled tomatoes, and stir with a fork. Cover the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• When done, gently fluff the rice with a fork. Remove the chilies and use it to decorate the top of the rice and serve.

• 1 can of condensed mil broth
• 1 cup of salsa
• 2 cups of minute rice (uncooked)
• 4 ounces of velveeta cheese (cut up)

• Mix the broth and salsa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Add rice and velveeta cheese and stir.
• Remove from heat and cover the mixture. Then set it aside for at least 5 minutes.
• Stir until the velveeta cheese is melted.

• 1 cup of short-grain white rice
• 4 cups of nonfat milk
• 4 sticks of cinnamon
• A 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise)
• Ice water (as much as required)
• cup of dark rum
• 1 cup of golden raisins
• Some ground cinnamon

• Rinse the rice till the water is absolutely clear and then drain well.
• Combine the nonfat milk, cinnamon sticks in a saucepan and bring to a boil over a medium high flame.
• Then add the rice and return to a boil. Once that is done, reduce the heat to medium low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until the centers of the grains are barely soft. This should take about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Then add the condensed milk to the rice mixture and scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans into the pan. You could also add the vanilla pods.
• Stir the mixture thoroughly and cover and continue to simmer over low heat until the rice is plump and tender and the sauce is the consistency of heavy cream.
• Remove from the heat and place it over the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and stir the mixture occasionally.
• When the mixture is cool, discard the vanilla pods and cinnamon sticks and transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled (about 2 hours).
• After that is all done, take a heavy-bottomed saucepan and combine the rum and raisins in it. Simmer until the raisins have plumped and the rum has almost disappeared, it should take about 5 minutes for this to happen.
• Once it is done, remove it from the heat and let it cool.
• Fold the raisins into the chilled rice pudding and serve icy cold with a dusting of ground cinnamon.