Vegetarian Mexican Rice

The satisfaction that you get after gorging on your favorite food cannot be described in words, isn’t it? Just the day before I went out to eat my favorite chaat (Indian street food) and had plate full of aloo tikki, golgappe, samosa chaat. Ahh, sheer bliss! No matter how much you make all this at home, the taste of chaat when you eat directly from the roadside carts in India is just something else. Somehow eating golgappe in a fancy restaurant or at your home never feels the same to me. I think that’s typical Indian chaat lover in me speaking. Anyway that day it was really cold and I had some throat pain too but I braved it all for my favorite chaat. I was like even if I get throat infection, it will be worth it. Yes, anything for that delicious chaat in cold Delhi winters.

This easy vegetarian Mexican rice is a one pot dish which you can serve as a side or as a part of main dish. The rice is lightly spiced and has corn, tomato, garlic, onion and jalapeno. I served it with poblano peppers but you can serve them with tacos, burrito or just eat them with some refried beans. I think they will also be great in stuffed peppers with some cheese on top.

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small red onion, chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 tablespoons yellow corn

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

1 cup crushed canned tomatoes

1.5 cups vegetable broth or water

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

salt, to taste

black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Rinse and soak rice in enough water for 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add chopped red onion and cook for a minute. 

3. Then add chopped jalapeno and cook for a minute.

4. Add chopped garlic and cook for another minute.

5. Add yellow corn and mix. Add cumin powder, salt, pepper and mix. You may also add some cayenne pepper at this point to increase the heat.

6. Add the soaked rice to the pan and saute for 2-3 minutes.

7. Add crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth or water and mix. Lower the heat to medium.

8. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, lower heat to low and cover and cook for another 5-10 minutes or till rice is soft and done.

9. Switch off flame and let the rice remain covered. Remove cover after 10-15 minutes.

10. Fluff with fork, add cilantro and lime juice.

11. Serve vegetarian mexican rice as a side or main dish and enjoy!

get full recipe Vegetarian Mexican Rice

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