To match the beans in the previous post, you need to learn the tricks for perfect ‘red rice’, aka arroz rojo. This took me a surprising amount of tinkering to get exactly the way I remembered from countless ‘family style’ Mexican restaurants of my past. These days I’d love to have one near me to support as they’re typically small operations run by a family that has had the recipes woven throughout their DNA for generations. Sadly, I’ve not found any within 1000km of my northerly locale. Until one pops up, I’ll have to keep making my own.
During my experiments it became clear that the only way to effectively reproduce results was to use a scale, hence the niggling amounts I’ve recorded here. I highly suggest you do the same until you’ve made a few hundred practice rounds and can work by eye like so many delightful Mexican grandmothers have been doing for ages.
*** Depending on your pan material, dimensions, heat source, lid fit, etc. your measurements and timing for ideal rice absorption and texture may vary slightly from mine but you should still use a scale and timer, taking notes so you can recreate success next time. ***
Mexican ‘Red’ Rice (Arroz Rojo)
Yield: Roughly eight cups of finished rice. Halving will require minor adjustments. Entree option below.
Weigh ingredients to ensure rice-to-liquid ratios are accurate for successful stove top cooking. Rinsing the rice completely and toasting well is essential to both flavour and texture. A low, wide pan with a well-fitted lid (such as a braiser) is best suited here with cast iron extra helpful for heat retention.
120g corn oil or quality rendered lard (avoid olive oil)
460g long grain white rice (NOT basmati, jasmine, arborio, etc.)
1 medium onion (~150g), any variety, finely dice
1/4 red bell pepper (~50g), de-seeded and finely diced
1 – 2 hot chiles, very finely minced (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
30g tomato paste (~ one heaping tablespoon)
12g (~2 tablespoons) freshly ground Essential Mexican Spice Blend *
2 – 10g powdered annatto seed or prepared annatto paste (very optional)
fine sea salt, +/- 1 tablespoon adjusted to taste & stock content
725g chicken stock (preferred) or vegetable stock
540g well pureed tomatoes and/or tomato juice (easily achieved in a food processor with any source of tomatoes available including quality tinned versions)
* Use a mix containing at least sweet paprika, cumin seed, black peppercorn, granulated garlic, and Mexican oregano in rough order of descending amounts to fit your own tastes. Grind just prior to use. Curious options for THIS red rice recipe include *scant* amounts of cinnamon, allspice, orange zest, or various dried chiles.
(edit: after much complaining about my lack of precision, I’ve added a detailed recipe of my basic version to get you started in this post).
Method:
Rinse the rice under running cold water until it runs clear then drain completely.
In a large braiser over medium heat, add the oil to warm fully for two minutes. Add the rice and stir regularly to coat and toast well, roughly 8-10 minutes, until slightly golden and fragrant. This is a deeper toasting than most risotto, paella, or similar so tend the pan carefully to avoid scorching.
Reduce heat to low, add onion, peppers, & garlic then sauté 2-3 minutes stirring regularly until vegetables soften slightly. Add tomato paste and cook a further minute stirring constantly to blend well. Add spices and sea salt then stir to ensure good contact with residual oil. Cook until fragrant, usually 45 – 60 seconds.
Raise heat to medium-high and immediately add stock and tomatoes. Bring to a low boil and simmer uncovered five minutes stirring frequently. Taste and adjust salt a final time, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for ten minutes without stirring or removing the lid. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for a further 20 minutes, again without removing the lid.
Serve with chopped green onions, coriander leaf, and/or fresh lime to finish. Cotija or Feta cheese if you can’t resist. Possibly next to creamy beans or stuffed inside a burrito.
Entrée Option:
500g of boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs can be added to the dish at the same time as the stock. Increase uncovered simmer time to eight minutes making sure to flip the chicken pieces halfway through. After final covered rest, remove chicken pieces to an oiled pan over medium heat and fry to add colour, about three minutes each side (pictured on right above). Ensure at least minimum safe internal temperature (per Health Canada: 74c (165f)) at the centre of the chicken pieces is reached.
msh – v.4.2
