Rice · Recipe · Mexico · Reference page
Arroz rojo (Mexican red rice)
Arroz rojo
Long-grain rice toasted in oil, then cooked in a strained purée of tomato, onion and garlic and chicken stock with a whole pickled jalapeño. Pati Jinich's recipe, published by SBS Food, serves six to eight.
- Servings
- 6
- Preparation
- 5 min
- Cooking
- 25 min
- Resting
- 5 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
Equipment
- Blender and sieve
- Medium saucepan with a lid; two large measuring jugs
Ingredients
Optional vegetables
Method
Blend the tomatoes, onion, garlic and salt until smooth. Strain the purée into a measuring jug and note how much there is. In a second jug, measure enough stock to bring the total liquid to 4 cups (1 litre). Keep them separate.
Why Measuring the purée and stock together keeps the liquid at twice the rice by volume.
Heat the oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the rice and stir often for 3–4 minutes, until it turns milky white.
Why Toasting the rice keeps the grains separate and gives a nutty flavour.
Timer · 4 min4:00Add the tomato purée and stir gently for about 3 minutes, until it darkens, thickens and is mostly absorbed.
Timer · 3 min3:00Stir in the stock, parsley, jalapeño and any carrots, peas and corn. Cook about 15 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed but some moisture remains. If the rice is not yet tender and the liquid has gone, add 2 tablespoons of water, cover and cook 2 minutes more.
Timer · 15 min15:00Take off the heat and leave covered for at least 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Timer · 5 min5:00
Substitutions
- Chicken stock → Vegetable stock, as the source allows, for a vegan dish.
Common mistakes
- Adding the stock before the purée has cooked down: the rice tastes of raw tomato.
- Stirring after the stock goes in: the rice turns sticky.
Storage & reheating
Keeps 3 days in the fridge; reheat with a splash of water.
Safety
Cool leftover rice within an hour and refrigerate. Many stocks contain celery: check the label.
Allergens
Celery
Check labels: stock, bacon and sauces can contain further allergens.
Dietary
dairy-free · gluten-free
A staple of Mexican kitchens
Pati Jinich's recipe, published by SBS Food, calls red rice a staple of Mexican kitchens that can be made with whatever vegetables you have. It is a side dish, served with stews, beans or grilled meat.
Toast, purée, stock
The rice is toasted in oil until milky white, then cooked in a strained tomato purée until it darkens and is mostly absorbed. Only then does the stock go in. Measuring purée and stock together to 4 cups for 2 cups of rice keeps the ratio at two to one.
Pati Jinich works in US cups (about 240 ml), SBS lists Australian cups (250 ml); because both rice and liquid are measured in cups, the ratio holds either way.
How it connects
Place
- origin Mexico In preparation
Recipe
- pairs with Rajas con crema
