Mexican Red Rice - From Claudia's Cocina Cookbook
Claudia Sandoval
Mexican Red Rice
Growing up, Mexican rice was as common as frijoles (beans), and in my family, rice is a part of almost every dinner meal. Note that this isn’t what is commonly referred to as “Spanish” rice; this is Mexican red rice.
My Mexican red rice recipe calls for a spice called azafrán bolita. Originating from the state of Guanajuato, this spice is the Mexican version of saffron (though not actually related to saffron). It is a ball that is covered with a dark husk; when cracked open, it contains a bright yellow seed, which adds a saffron-colored hue to dishes it’s cooked in. While it can be hard to find (ask for it in Mexican groceries), I hope you have the opportunity to work with it, because it makes this rice dish out of this world.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup (185 g) long-grain white rice
¼ small onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 to 6 azafrán bolita pods (optional)
2 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped (see Notes)
1 2/3 cups (405 ml) chicken stock (see Notes) or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until it is lightly colored all over, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until the onion is translucent.
Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle (or a molcajete, if you have one) to crack open the azafrán bolita, if using, and remove and discard the dark husks. Crush the yellow seeds in a mortar until they’re pastelike and mix in 2 tablespoons of water to dilute it.
Add the azafrán bolita liquid and the tomatoes to the rice and cook, stirring, for an additional 2 minutes, or until the tomato begins to cook down and release its red pigment into the rice.
Pour in the stock, add the salt, and bring to simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the rice to rest, covered, for 7 to 10 minutes. Fluff the rice by gently running a fork through the kernels, and serve.
Notes
When tomatoes are out of season or fresh tomatoes are too expensive for your budget, you can substitute 1 cup (165 g) canned tomatoes or add a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce to your rice if you’d like a more prominent red color.
Water can be substituted for chicken stock if you don’t have stock on hand; I recommend adding a chicken bouillon cubes or powder to the water for flavor.
To make this dish vegetarian, use vegetable stock.