Quick Mexican rice is a one pot quick flavorful rice, often served in many Mexican restaurants, made easy at home in a pressure pan.
Simmered in a puree of tomatoes and onions and spiced up with garlic, oregano, cumin and jalapenos, Mexican rice is a good accompaniment with any meal or by itself with just a salad on the side!!
Whenever I used to go to any Mexican restaurant and order a combo meal, the main dish was always accompanied by a side of refried mashed beans and a spicy, flavorful rice called Mexican rice.
The red colored rice with its subtle flavors used to intrigue me and after scouring through many cookbooks and magazines, I started to make my own version at home!!
The recipe is very simple.
Rice grains are sauteed in oil for a few minutes till crisp and glistening with oil (some people brown it!) and cooked along with onions, tomato puree, garlic and spices like cumin and oregano along with chilies (for that extra kick) to a fluffy, tasty and exotic pulao like rice.
I have added vegetables like bell pepper and corn to increase the flavor and add crunch and color to the dish.
For those busy days when all you need is a quick one-pot dish with less clean up, Mexican rice is the perfect dish! Do try it today and I am sure your family will ask for it to be on your menu more often!!
Updated May 15 2020:
Lockdown days of 2020 and all you do is cook, clean and try to stay safe and healthy!
Now, although I love cooking, sometimes it does become tiring; so made my favorite, spicy one-pot Mexican rice for lunch with some cooked red kidney beans/rajma for added protein!
To quench my thirst and the perfect combination with this was thick, delicious and no-sugar Pomegranate Lassi!
Other quick rice dishes you can try are:
Lets check out how I made this lip smacking Mexican Rice, shall we?
A one-pot quick flavorful rice, made easy in a pressure pan. Simmered in a puree of tomatoes and onions and spiced up with oregano, cumin and jalapenos, Mexican rice is a good accompaniment with any meal or by itself with just a salad on the side!!
Ingredients
- ½ cup rice
- 1 large tomato
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 to 2 green chillies/jalapenos
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- ½ teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
- ½ cup corn kernels
- ¼ cup green bell pepper/capsicum
- ¼ cup red bell pepper/capsicum
- 3 tablespoons oil
- Salt to taste
- Freshly chopped coriander leaves/cilantro for garnishing
- 1 fresh lemon or lime
Instructions
- Wash the rice well, drain and keep aside.
- In a small blender jar, add tomato (roughly chopped) and ½ of the onion (roughly chopped).
- Blend to a fine paste or puree and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pressure pan; once the oil is hot, add the jeera and sauté till it starts to crackle.
- Add rest of the onions (finely chopped), garlic (grated or finely chopped) and slit green chilies.
- Sauté on medium heat for a few minutes till the onions turn translucent and the raw smell of the garlic is gone.
- Stir in the rice and fry on medium low till the moisture is all gone and each grain of rice is well toasted and coated well with oil; about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the tomato puree and mix well.
- Fry for a few minutes more till most of the moisture is gone.
- Add the vegetables (bell pepper and corn), oregano and salt to taste and fry again for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in 3/4 cup of hot water (ratio of rice to water is 1:1 ½ ); give it a good stir.
- Taste the mixture for salt and add if needed. Close the pressure pan lid and cook on high.
- After the first whistle, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the pressure drop by itself.
- Once the pressure has been released completely, open the pan and fluff up the rice gently with a fork.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve spicy Mexican rice with a wedge of lime or lemon.
Notes
I have used Basmati rice; you can use any long grain rice.
If you do not have a pressure pan, you can use a rice cooker or prepare in a pot too.
You can add any vegetable of your choice.
Step-by-step method:
- Wash the rice well, drain and keep aside.
- In a small blender jar, add tomato (roughly chopped) and ½ of the onion (roughly chopped).
- Blend to a fine paste or puree and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pressure pan; once the oil is hot, add the jeera and sauté till it starts to crackle.
- Add rest of the onions (finely chopped), garlic (grated or finely chopped) and slit green chilies.
- Sauté on medium heat for a few minutes till the onions turn translucent and the raw smell of the garlic is gone.
- Stir in the rice and fry on medium low till the moisture is all gone and each grain of rice is well toasted and coated well with oil; about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the tomato puree with chili powder and mix well.
- Fry for a few minutes more till most of the moisture is gone.
- Add the vegetables (bell pepper and corn), oregano and salt to taste; fry again for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir in 3/4 cup of hot water (ratio of rice to water is 1:1 ½ ); give it a good stir.
- Taste the mixture for salt and add if needed. Close the pressure pan lid and cook on high.
- After the first whistle, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the pressure drop by itself.
- Once the pressure has been released completely, open the pan and fluff up the rice gently with a fork.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve spicy Mexican rice with a wedge of lime or lemon.
- Enjoy!!!!
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This looks fantastic. Love rice and this is not just beautiful but sounds absolutely delicious as well. Thank you for bringing to the party.
Thank you !!! Love being part of the celebration 🙂