Mexican green rice

November 26, 2022  •  Category: ,

I had been wanting to try my hand at this rice for a while. It consists of making a green salsa with poblano peppers, onion, garlic then cooking the rice in it with the addition of fresh corn kernels. The rice can be served alongside a dish of beans or a protein. I did not have time to cook anything else and so to give it more sustenance I ended-up baking it (after cooking it) briefly with some shredded cheese and it was filling enough on its own, with an optional splash of hot sauce or Mexican cream on top.


 

 

Mexican green rice

Joumana Accad Mediterranean, Middle Eastern November 26, 2022 Mexican fusion, Whole Grain/Bulgur/Rice, rice pilaf, mexican, poblano,

6 servings

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Passive Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 large poblano peppers

1/2 white or yellow onion, peeled and quartered

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 bunch of cilantro, leaves only washed and drained

1/2 cup water (add more if necessary to puree the mixture)

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice (Uncle Ben's)

2 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)

1 Tbsp chicken stock in powder or 1 chicken stock cube (optional)

Salt, as needed

1 cup corn kernels (fresh or canned)

2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese or mozzarella (melting cheese)

1 cup of hot sauce or Mexican cream (optional)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

 

Instructions

  1. Prepare the poblano sauce:

Prep the poblano peppers by broiling them until they are blackened on all sides, transfer them to a plastic bag or covered bowl, then peel and seed them and remove their stem. Run the peppers under tap water to get rid of all the seeds. Transfer into the blender or food processor bowl.

Add the onion, garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp of salt and fresh cilantro leaves. Add 1/2 cup of water and run the blender or food processor until the salsa is puréed and smooth.

2. Prepare the rice:

Pour the oil into a pot over medium heat and add the dry rice; cook the rice grains briefly until they turn translucent. If using fresh corn kernels, add them now and stir them along with the rice. Add the poblano salsa to the rice and cook a few more minutes until the mixture dries-up a bit, gently stirring the mixture with a wooden or rubber spoon.

Add the chicken stock; add the  bouillon cube or chicken bouillon powder (if using for more saltiness), cover the rice and cook until small holes show-up at the top, about 20 minutes, making sure to lower the heat once the mixture starts boiling.

Uncover the pot, stir the mixture gently and add the corn (if using canned corn). Taste to adjust the salt, and turn off the heat and let it cool.

When ready to serve:  Add the cheese and spread it evenly throughout the rice. Bake in a 350F (180C) oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve with hot sauce on the side or drizzle some Mexican cream on top of the rice for added richness.

Recipe Notes

The poblano peppers can be used raw, seeded and stemmed; I prefer to roast them and peel them but this does add an extra step.

I picked long-grain American rice such as Uncle Ben's for the ease of cooking it, but one can substitute medium-grain rice or Mexican or Egyptian or sushi rice. If you do, I would advise soaking the rice for about 30 minutes prior in warm water to get rid of some of its starch, then run it through tap water to clean it well.



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