benazir's blog

Spanish Rice

Actually this is a perfect side dish along with frejoles if you are going to have tacos, flautas and other things of this nature. I have went to Mexican restuarnts in the past and this is their basic fare. and yes they will go great with sopes too. As soon as I learn how to make them I will post the recipe.

This is very basic and can be even washed down with horchata or even a nice ice cold non alcoholic brew. I washed 1 cup of rice and set it aside in some 4 cups of cold water. I used brown basmati but you can use any type of rice you want to. It may look like jollof rice but this one really is Mexican type in a way.

Instead of red palm oil and red bell pepper that is giving this rice the color is just tomato paste.

In a large coldero I added 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 onion or shallot cut in half moon slices and fried a little, 2 cloves of garlic crushed 1 green chili sliced, 3 tbs of tomato paste and stirred. I added 1 pinch of black peppercorns and crushed them with my mortar and pestle and added this to the pot. I added 4 dashes of adobo, 1 pinch each of red chili pepper and paprika. I added 4 cups of water stirred, drained the rice in the bowl then added it to the pot and added 4 cups of water and a mix of capers and olives which was about 10 being kind of generous with a little of the juice for flavor.

I stirred again and placed the almuminum foil over under the lid and brought the rice to a boil then turned the heat down to low covered and cooked the rice for 20 minutes.

I kept checking in between to see how it was cooking and quickly put the lid back on. When the water has been absorbed by the rice or if there was a little bit of liquid remaining: do not get in to a panic. Shut the heat off and let the rice sit there for 20 minutes undisturbed. This method is called the dum.

These items I have found in where Indian and Pakistani groceries are sold and the adobo plus the olive mixture is by goya and can be found in Spanish stores.

Enjoy.

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