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Mexican Rice
By
DK
on Aug 09, 2010
Calling all cuisine experts out there with a question -"What EXACTLY is the difference between Spanish rice and Mexican Rice?". I get all sorts of different answers but nothing conclusive since many such rice recipes claiming to be "Spanish" or "Mexican" inter-lap so much that I find it personally as one! One of the resources said that while Mexican rice uses tomato sauce to create that beautiful color, the Spanish version uses saffron as a coloring agent. But I haven't seen anything to substantiate that. Wikipedia finishes it off simply by saying that they are just the same. If you know better - please do drop me an explanation in the comment section :)
I saw this recipe in a show called America's Test Kitchen and have made it more or less the same from what I could remember from the show. This recipe is another of the go to meals, especially in the evenings when I am energy drained and tired to cook. Its pretty quick and looks impressive. I guess this is one variety rice which every region has added its own twist and spin. Every country seems to have their own Tomato Rice. This is a very simple version where you can add more vegetables you like or have on hand. I kept it simple.
References
recipe courtesy america's test kitchen
Basic Information
Prep Time: Under 15 min
Cook Time: Under 15 min
Serves: 2 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup long grain rice, soaked in water for 10 minutes (I use Basmati Rice)
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 Jalapeno chile (remove ribs and seeds if you can't handle the heat)
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced (or as per taste)
- 1 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 to 1-1/2 cups vegetable stock (or water)
- salt to taste
- few sprigs of cilantro to serve
- juice of 1 small lime (optional)
Method
1
Process the tomatoes and onion in a processor until pureed.
2
It should give you about 1 cup worth of puree. Set aside.
3
Meanwhile in a skillet, heat 1 tsp oil (you can use upto 1 tbsp). Add the drained rice to the oil and saute until rice is golden and translucent.
4
Add garlic and jalapeno and cook for another 1 minute.
5
Add the pureed tomatoes, 1 cup of vegetable stock along with tomato paste and salt. Depending on the rice quality you might need 1/2 or 1 cup more of water. I use totally 2 cups of 1 cup of Basmati rice to get that perfect cooked yet separate rice texture instead of mushy.
6
Close with a tight fitting lid and cook for 10-15 minutes (stirring halfway), or until the rice is tender and cooked completely.
Garnish with cilantro and squeeze lime juice (if using) You can otherwise serve lime wedges to be squeezed on individual plates as per taste.
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I did not grow up eating rice but more potatoes – German descendent. But potatoes are originally from the Andes. Traveling through central and South America I was surprised by all the varieties of rice and various grains used in the cooking. It is all very regional for instance Saffron is expensive in north Ecuador bit relatively cheap in the coastal region where you will find it in many dishes. This rice dish sounds delicious with all of its spices and the tomatoes. You can find this dish in many areas of the world made with different varieties rice and grains like quinoa. Basmati and Jasmine are my two favorite rice varieties.
I have cooked this rice probably 20 times now but rather than serving as a side dish I do it with a mexican style chicken. This beautiful rice just adds to the flavour. We practically live off of rice – it accompanies most of our meals and this is another great variation to have instead of plain old boiled! Thanks so much!!!
i have no words. it is phenomenal. Sir or Madam or both or whoever is hosting these recipies, you are motivating someone on earth to enjoy these foods..Love to You. All the Best to you for your wonderful health and life and time. regards.
The origin of tomato rice may well remain a bit of a mystery. While tomatoes originated in South America – suggesting that it’s more likely for tomato rice to have first been prepared in Mexico, rice was first farmed in the region of Thailand, about 4000 BC! It’s no stretch to get that the Spaniards got their first tomatoes when they crossed the Atlantic and encountered the Americas, but how did the rice get to Mexico and/or Spain from Thailand!? Saffron is from Greece, and since there’s a long tradition of paella in Spain, perhaps the Spaniards came across rice via Arabia, considering that is how many spices and other interesting ingredients made their way to the Old World.
wow its so simple to cook and so very appetizing….
in Ghana, this is known as JOLLOF. where the rice is cooked in gravy(fried onion till lightly brown, add blended tomatoes which contains pepper,garlic,ginger,etc.) cook gravy till well done, season to taste and add chicken stock plus veggies such as carrots,green pepper, green beans etc.add veggies when rice is almost cooked so veggies r not mushy. very tasty n can be eaten with fried ripe plantain. yum yum yum…….
*achiote
mexicans i know frequently use anchiote in the rice to make it yellowy red. tomatoes too, obviously, but anchiote is a little like saffron as far as color.
Well, my andalusian grandmother (and all my friends down there neither) would never have used basmati. the type of rice they use is similar to aborio, but shorter and there is not so much starch in it. they dont like the rice “creamy”. there are at least two (main) ways to prepare rice in the south of spain: one dish is made with either saffron or – more common, as it is much cheaper – with “colorante”, which is a artificial coulourant. this type is uses for paella-like dishes and is mostly served with chunks of chicken and/or fish/seafood (depending on the place you live in). the other type is made with chopped onions, garlic, often chopped tomatoes and sometimes green long peppers and is rather being served as a side dish with pollo con ajo or chuletitas.
I made this with chicken broth & added frozen veggies while cooking…it was so yummy!!!
@christine, FYI: Mexican rice was NOT invented by American packaged food companies. This is a common recipe that you can find in the most remote rural places of Mexico and I’m sure it has been there prior to the Wal-Mart era.
We need to make a correction to wikipedia, saying that a mexican rice is the same as a spanish rice recipe, is like saying that hot-dogs served at the oktoberfest are the same hot-dogs served in the 4th of July.
The spanish version is more expensive (and may bring cultural differences) because the saffron is really expensive: 1 gr of saffron (at 10%) cost you the same of 4 kg of pure tomato.
I am from a Catalan family and while living in Spain never had a dish similar to this. Spaniards do not make rice as a side dish. I would venture that to Spaniards, Spanish Rice is really paella, and Mexican rice was invented by American packaged food companies.
i made this dish …. it was wow!!! every1 loved it.
I made this last night for my family. It was very good. It will replace my previous Mexican rice recipe that I was tinkering with to increase the tomato flavor, The pureed tomatoes and onions add great flavor. The puree measured 1.5 cups so I only needed to add an additional cup of stock.
Real Mexican Rice, here you go:
Add one roma tomato, 1/4 white onion, spring of cilantro, small piece of celery, one garlic clove and add a dash of water to blender and belnd all ingredients. In a skillet add some veg oil, add 1 cup of rice until golden, then add tomato puree and stir slowly and add two cups of chicken stock, add kosher salt to taste, bring to a boil, then lower heat and close with a tight fitting lid and cook for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy real mexican rice!
This rice reminds me of my mom’s, so yummy. I really don’t know much about Spanish cooking, but what I do know is Mexican Rice is all about that wonderful tomato taste. Thanks for sharing
Hey this is a yummy recipe! It didn’t take much time to cook either. Thanks a bunch for sharing this. I am all smiles
Love the color. looks so pretty
. 
Hugs,
Siri