logo left

Tomato Mexican Rice

logo right
nuttys kitchen logo

Mecico |:¬) Now I know you can buy this in a pouch for one! But once you have made this you'll do it again and again for the wonderful flavoursome, spicy taste of Mexico for a really low cost. Here I'm using easy cook rice (which of course takes ages to soften so it's ideal for this dish as the grains never ever go mushy!) This is a lovely spicy rice dish, you can make it milder by using a standard chilli powder or even omit it completely but I like to live on the spicy side of life ;-) I usually make this as an accompaniment to my Chicken Chilli Mexican recipe here. But it's also great as a totally vegetarian burrito filling topped with cheese if you please :¬P.

Click the Method tab below to see a step by step guide with pictures.

cooked rice in pan

ingredients

Here's what you need :¬)

Serves 4 as a meal 6 as a side

  • 150g / 1 cup long grain easy cook rice*

    • *Soaked for 15 mins, rinse & repeat, rinse in a sieve.

  • 1 Tbls Oil
  • 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp whole dried red chilli crushed or red chilli flakes
  • 1/2 medium onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp extra hot chilli powder
  • 1 tsp Kashmir chilli powder (optional you can use 1/2 tsp turmeric)
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper corns ground roughly
  • 1 450g tin of plum tomatoes ( mashed )
  • 1 Tblsp tomato puree
  • 500ml (2 cups) hot boiled water
  • 1 OXO™ veg stock cube disolved in hot water
  • 2 Tblsp of fresh coriander

method

Drain your soaked rice into a sieve - check the water runs clear or repeat the rinse stage again ( if this stage is not correct your rice will stick) The finished dish is quite wet, ferociously fiery with chilli heat and sumptuously delicious ;¬)

  1. Heat a heavy bottomed wok.
  2. Add oil to the pan when hot
  3. When the oil shimmers add cumin seeds and chilli flakes
fry cumin seeds & chilli flakes
frying spices
  1. Wait until chilli flakes brown & cumin odour fills the kitchen
  2. Add onions, cook until soft not brown
  3. Add garlic salt and all the spices
  4. stir-fry until all is combined, be careful spices burn quickly!
spices & onions
spices & onions frying
  1. Raise the heat to 6 (high)
  2. Add drained rice and stir-fry for 5 mins, the rice should begin to turn white
  3. Add tomatoes & tomato puree stir to combine
add tomatoes & tomato puree
tomatoes & rice in pan
  1. Add the stock & bring to a rapid simmer
add stock
stock added to pan
  1. Reduce heat to med & simmer gently for 20mins
  2. Stir after 10 mins & leave the lid off.
10 mins after stock added
10mins after stock added
  1. Turn off the ring & leave covered
  2. Let the fluid soak into the rice, about 20 mins
  3. Sprinkle in fresh or frozen coriander & check the seasoning
add coriander
corriander added to rice
  1. Stir, cover allow the juices to totally soak into the rice
tomato rice finished
coriander added to rice
serving suggestion
tomato rice & mex chicken plated
tomato rice & Mexican chicken

Top top tip - Make this a day ahead, chill and reheat ...the flavours develop amazingly

Alternatives: Serve in a tortilla wrap topped with grated cheese and salad as a quick & easy main meal

For a main meal burrito, wrap a good quantity of the Mexican rice in a tortilla along with grated cheese & bake in the oven at 180c until the tortilla starts to brown and the rice is piping hot inside. This is totally decadent heaven! You have to try it to believe it :¬P