Approx. 6-8 Servings
Elements:
OLIVE OIL
Two cups of LONG GRAIN WHITE RICE, rinsed and drained 3 times (You can use brown – you’ll just have to adjust the cooking time/liquid accordingly.)
One medium ONION, diced
Two cloves of GARLIC, minced
One or two JALAPENO, deseeded and minced
One-quarter cup fresh CILANTRO, roughly chopped
One or two tablespoons TOMATO PASTE
Four cups CHICKEN or VEGETABLE BROTH
CUMIN, SALT, and PEPPER to taste
Application:
Over medium-high heat, add oil to a large saute pan and add the rice, onions, garlic, and jalapeno. Saute stirring constantly until the onions turn translucent. Stir in the cilantro, tomato paste, and broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover your pan, and let it simmer for approximately 18-20 minutes.
Test the rice to see if it is tender. If it isn’t tender yet then recover and simmer longer. (If it looks dry make sure you add some extra water or broth.) Use your best judgement here. Once the rice is tender, remove the pan from heat, sprinkle with seasonings to desired taste, and stir gently with a fork. (A fork will help fluff the rice while stirring. You don’t want to stir hard and turn the cooked rice to mush.) Enjoy!
Tips:
Use leftovers to help fill burritos or enchiladas for tomorrow’s dinner. (Example: Try our 7 LAYER BURRITO recipe.)
Try making this a one dish meal by tossing in your favorite Mexican-inspired chopped meat, such as a spicy shredded pork, CITRUS CILANTRO CHICKEN, or carne asada. When you add in a chopped meat as opposed to serving the meat and side separately, you can get away with using less meat overall!