Name: Easy Mexican Rice
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice; 1 tomato , cored and quartered; 1 jalapeño chile , stemmed, halved, and seeded; Salt and pepper; 1 garlic clove , chopped; 1-1 3/4 cups chicken broth; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro; Lime wedge

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted a simple recipe for a delicious Mexican rice that yielded tender, fluffy rice with a deep savoriness and refreshing brightness. Achieving fluffy rice with separate, intact grains boiled down to applying a few easy techniques: rinsing the rice, toasting it in enough oil to coat the grains, and cooking it in just enough liquid. We turned to chicken broth as the cooking liquid to achieve the savoriness we were after. For vibrant tomato color and flavor, we found that a mix of fresh tomato and concentrated tomato paste gave us the best results. A single clove of garlic and a jalapeño chile added bite and subtle permeating heat to contrast with the mild sweetness of the rice, and finishing with a fistful of fresh cilantro and a bit of lime juice provided bursts of brightness.

Before You Begin

To make this dish spicier, include the jalapeño seeds.

Instructions

Place rice in fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for 1½ minutes. Shake strainer vigorously to remove all excess water; set aside.

Process tomato, jalapeño, 1½ teaspoons salt, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer mixture to 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Stir to deflate foam, if necessary, then add enough broth to equal 2½cups.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is uniformly colored, about 1 minute. Add tomato mixture and bring to boil. Stir rice, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes.

Let stand, covered, off heat for 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer rice to serving bowl. Serve with lime wedges.