All About Rice!

I've had so many people ask "How do you make Spanish rice?" Well, there is a little trick to making great Mexican rice , Southwest Style rice, Mexican or Tex-Mex Rice.  My grandmother taught me how to make her Rice recipe in her kitchen in Laredo, TX in the 60's. She served this rice in her Mexican Restaurant. She told me using lemon juice in the recipe would make the rice light and fluffy, and it does! It works every time! No fail!

I was about 9 years old when she taught me how to make the rice, I wrote the recipe down and use the basic recipe to this day. However, I have added my own variations below!

Here is the basic recipe, variations are included below.

MANUELA'S MEXICAN RICE

1 cup long grain rice

1 Tbsp Corn Oil

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup water

1/4 chopped onion

1/2 can tomato sauce

1 teas ground cumin, scant

1 clove garlic crushed

1/2 teas salt

1/2 teas fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup green pepper

1/2 lemon

First crush the garlic, add salt to the garlic and mince garlic.  Next, brown rice in the oil in a medium skillet over med-high heat, stir frequently until the rice is browned lightly like a nutty brown (but not burned). Add onion immediately and cook another 30 seconds, stirring quickly to keep from burning. Add water to pan (will cause steam to form), tomato sauce, rest of spices and stir quickly. Add green pepper which has been cut into strips. Add 2 cups of water, Cover tightly. 

DO NOT STIR. 

Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. No peeking! Do not lift the cover for 5 minutes AFTER you turn off the burner! NO EXCEPTIONS!

Variations:

Spanish Rice: Omit cumin powder, proceed as normal.

Southwestern style:  Add 2 -3 Hatch Chile Peppers, chopped  (add to the rice with spices).

Mexican or Tex-Mex: Add 1/4 cup Peas with spices and proceed as normal.