Mexican Rice could be your answer to your one-pot quandary, a dish that is easy to make, quick, nutritious yet delicious and is not your usual pulao or khichdi.
If you are often faced at your home with whimsical food choices of your family members, then I am pretty sure you too would be on a lookout for dishes beyond your comfort zone. I also have to cater to recipe demands of my viewers on my YouTube channel who keep posting some really wonderful recipe requests in the comment section.
This request too came from one of my viewer who suggested I must make Mexican rice but she also wanted me to make use of Pressure cooker to expedite the cooking process, and must say I was thrilled.
Mexican rice, also known as Spanish rice was one of my favorite meals during my US stay back in 2013. Except the name, the dish bears not affiliation with Spain and there are absolutely no traces of such dish in Spanish cuisine. Possibly, it is so called, referring to Spanish invasion of Mexico and Spaniards importing several items into Mexico along with rice. They also discovered that Veracruz region of Mexico was perfect for growing rice. Spaniards might have introduced Mexicans to rice but they didn’t need guidance any further. Mexicans were innovative enough to have developed Mexican rice on its own and rest as they say is history.
At my place, we love this dish. While it is paired with tacos or enchiladas, I love to eat it as it is. Throw in whatever vegetables you have stocked in your refrigerator, cook rice with pureed tomato, and you have a delicious one-pot meal ready. It is not only a delicious dish but also a nutritious one.
Follow along this recipe and make delicious Mexican rice in no time. Do remember to share your feedback with me in comments section below.
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 3-4
- 1 Cup=200gms Long Grain Basmati Rice- washed and soaked in water for 30 mins. Drain excess water with a strainer.
- 1 large=125gms Onion- sliced into lengths
- ¼th Cup=25 gms Sweet Corn kernels
- ½ Cup= 60 gms Bell Pepper- finely chopped
- ¼th Cup=60gms Red Kidney Beans- Boiled
- 5-6 Cloves of Garlic- finely chopped
- 4 Green Chilies
- ½-tsp Black Peppercorns- coarsely powdered
- ½-tsp Oregano
- 1-tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 1-tsp roasted Cumin Powder
- 2 Medium sized=150 gms Tomatoes- Pureed
- Salt to taste
- Cooking Oil
- We will cook Mexican rice in Pressure Cooker. Heat 2-tbsp Cooking Oil in Cooker. Fry washed and drained rice in this Oil for couple of mins. They will help rice grains get a lovely glaze around it.
- Remove rice from the pan after 2 mins. Heat 2-tbsp Cooking Oil and add chopped garlic and fry until it becomes light brown in color. Now, add sliced Onions and fry until it becomes soft.
- After 3-4 mins, add sweet corn, bell pepper and boiled kidney beans. Cook for around 30 seconds. Now add masala- red chili powder, cumin powder, oregano, coarsely powdered peppercorns and salt to taste. Cook Masala with vegetables for 20 seconds.
- Add Tomato Puree and Green Chilies. Cover the Pressure cooker with the lid and cook for a min.
- After a min, mix puree with vegetables. Add fried rice and mix well. Now, add 2 Cups water and stir. Now we will seal the pressure cooker with lid and cook on high heat.
- We have cooked on high for 3 mins. Pressure has been built but we will not take a whistle. Turn off the heat and let the pressure release naturally.
- Mexican Rice is ready to be served.
- Serve for your lunch or pack it in your tiffin.
Click to watch recipe video
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