Mexican Rice | Slimming Eats Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why does Mexican restaurant rice taste better? ›

Restaurant style Mexican rice is savory, tender and a little spicy, it's addictive. But how do you get that flavor and color that they get in the restaurant? Two secret ingredients: a can of Rotel tomatoes with chilies, and a packet of sazon seasoning!

One of the main differences between these two rice dishes is that Mexican rice is fluffier and tends not to stick together. Whilst Spanish Rice is known for that rich yellow color, Mexican Rice is best known for its reddish orange hue that it gets from being cooked with cumin.

Mexican rice is almost always eaten as a complement to other dishes such as mole, refried beans, rotisserie chicken, carne asada, picadillo, tacos, fried fish, fried chicken, chiles rellenos, or vegetable soup. Mexican-style rice is especially popular in central and northern Mexico and the southwestern United States.

Tomato Paste: Adds a concentrated tomato flavor and rich color, essential for that signature Mexican rice taste. Rice: White long grain rice is preferred because it cooks up fluffier and less sticky than shorter grains, ensuring each grain remains distinct and absorbs the flavorful broth without becoming mushy.

Use Stock Instead of Water

“Instead of water, use either vegetable or chicken stock. Homemade is ideal, but plenty of premade boxed stocks exist for convenience. Add stock to the hot pan with vegetables and toasted rice.” He explains that toasting the rice first adds a layer of nutty flavor and creates more depth.

The rice should be a tiny bit on the dry side (but still soft and fluffy). If your rice is really wet and mushy, you probably added too much water and/or overcooked it.

Long Grain White Rice: Washing the rice is crucial to remove the outer starch, allowing the rice to cook fluffy. If you'd like to use Brown Rice, increase liquid by ½ cup and cook for 40 minutes, following the same resting instructions. Oil: Canola or vegetable oil, for toasting the rice.

Mexican rice is one of the healthiest ways to eat rice! The tomato adds so many antioxidants. And you get more fiber, vitamins and minerals by cooking your rice with a variety of vegetables like you do in Mexican rice. This just goes to show how healthy our food traditions are!

Even though we sometimes crave pizza, sushi, pasta, or sandwiches, we Mexicans LOVE tacos, tortas, enchiladas, scrambled eggs, broths, quesadillas, and homemade stews, provided they're prepared with love and our national seasoning.

Rice has been and continues to be a staple in the diet of the Mexicans, it has become so important within the culture and traditions of this country that there are many typical dishes that are prepared with this food everyday.

Why is rice at Mexican restaurants orange? ›

Did you ever wonder why Mexican rice is a red-orange color? Cumin is the answer. It provides that nutty and spicy taste and is the famous culprit for the red-orange color. Cumin is always an ingredient in this rice.

Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear- about 1 1/2 minutes. Shake rice vigorously to remove excess water. This step removes the starch from the rice so it will not stick. IF YOU OMIT THIS STEP YOUR RICE WILL NOT BE DRY AND FLUFFY.

Basmati vs Jasmine Rice

Both jasmine and basmati rice have a more pronounced aroma and taste than standard white rice. Choose jasmine rice when you want a fluffy, creamy dish. Try basmati in a pilaf, salad, or grain bowl where you want the texture of the individual rice grains to shine through.

"The yellow aspect comes from tangy achiote powder, also known as annatto. From Mexican: Healthy Ways With a Favorite Cuisine."

Rice comes into play because it absorbs moisture even faster than salt. You're familiar with the lifesaver of putting your water-damaged phone in a bag of uncooked rice? It's the same concept. By adding just a few grains of rice to your salt shaker, restaurants can guarantee that your salt will pour with ease.

Mexican rice is one of the healthiest ways to eat rice! The tomato adds so many antioxidants. And you get more fiber, vitamins and minerals by cooking your rice with a variety of vegetables like you do in Mexican rice.

It is known that Mexican dishes always involve herbs and spices that make them very tasty. Think about Chili con Carne. This dish uses a lot of ingredients like garlic, onion, pepper, and tomatoes. So with the combination of these spices, you can expect the resulting food to taste and smell so good.