ARROZ VERDE (Mexican green rice, for four)
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2 cups long-grain, basmati white rice
6 tablespoons corn oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
6 poblano chiles, deveined, pureed with ½ cup of water and strained (if poblanos aren’t available, substitute fresh green jalapenos or serranos)
3-1/2 cups canned, low-salt chicken broth
½ cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste
- Measure rice into a fine-mesh sieve and place sieve into a bowl of cold water to soak for for 30 minutes. Remove sieve from water and drain rice for 20 minutes. (Soaking and drying the rice thoroughly are important to remove the starch from the kernels before cooking. Otherwise, your rice may be gummy.)
- Heat oil in a 3-quart, heavy saucepan with a close-fitting lid. Saute the rice, stirring, for 2 minutes over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic. When the rice “sounds like sand when it is stirred” about another 2 minutes,add the pureed chilies and cook for a minute or two until it thickens.
- Stir in the broth, cilantro, lime juice and salt to taste and bring the mixture to a boil. (Do not stir again until rice is finished) .Continue to boil for 8 minutes, until the surface of the rice is dry and covered with steam holes.
- Reduce heat to lowest possible setting, cover pot tightly (use both a tea towel and lid) and cook 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice stand, still covered, 5 minutes more. Remove cover and fluff rice with a fork.
adapted from Guadalupe Rivera and Marie-Pierre Colle, Frida’s Fiestas
SERVE WITH: Pollo adobado