Authentic Spanish Rice Recipe

Spanish rice or Mexican rice as some call it is an integral part of any Mexican meal. It is said that rice and beans make a perfect protein. Spanish rice adds color, flavor, and half of what makes Mexican food nutritious. Spanish rice is easy to make, because it only takes one more step than normal steamed rice.

When I was young and growing up, my sisters and I loved our mom's Spanish rice. My mom always served both Spanish rice and beans at dinner, but We were tired of the beans. my sisters and I told my mom we were going on strike. We said we didn't want her to serve any more beans. The truth is that soon enough, we missed the beans with our rice. My favorite way to eat rice and beans is mixed together, possibly with a dollop of salsa on top.

Ingredients

Of course you'll need plain uncooked white rice. You'll need some cooking oil, some Knorr chicken broth or tomato/chicken broth powder, possibly some finely chopped onion or bell pepper, and some water.

Remember the two to one rule when cooking rice. You need two cups of water to every cup of rice you are cooking. Measure out your rice. One cup of dry rice should be enough for two or three people.

The first and most important step in making Spanish rice is browning the rice. Pore a small amount of oil in to a large sauté pan with a lid. About ½ tbs should be ok. Pore your rice in to the pan and turn the heat on to medium. As soon as the pan starts to heat up, begin stirring the rice. You want it to get a nice toasty look and smell. Stir the rice continuously until the rice is browned.

Add two cups of water for each cup of rice. Add one or two TSP Knorr broth powder. You can also add a little finely chopped onion and or bell peppers if you'd like. Give it a quick stir and put the lid on.

Your rice should cook for about 20 minutes on low to medium low. At that time the liquid should be absorbed in to the rice, and the rice should be fluffy. Don't lift the lid on your rice. It is said that this will ruin it. Be patient.

Served with refried beans, salsa, and your favorite Mexican dish, this Spanish rice will add an authentic touch to any Mexican meal.