Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain rice (I use Basmati)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Your choice of pepper – for spicy rice: 1 habanero, minced. For mild, 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon Mexican Oregano
- 2 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the rise in a mesh colander. Put rice on a large plate and leave it to dry. While the rice is drying, chop the onion, garlic, and pepper.
You will need a medium sized pan with a tight fitting lid. Preheat the pan (uncovered) over medium heat and add the oil. Next add the rice. Stir the rice so that the oil coats it and let the rice toast in the pan for about 5 minutes. Keep stirring the rice every 30 seconds so it doesn’t burn.
Next add the onion, garlic, your choice of pepper, and oregano. Cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring often. Next add 3 cups of vegetable stock to the pan. Stir the pot to mix everything together. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1-cup vegetable stock and the tomato paste. Add this mixture to the pan and stir again. Add freshly ground pepper to taste.
Bring the mixture to a low boil. Reduce heat to low, add lid to pot, and simmer for 20 minutes. Don’t peek at the rice. Leave it alone to cook.
After 20 minutes, the rice should be fluffy and the liquid should be absorbed into the rice. Remove from heat. Fluff the rice with a fork, replace the lid, and let sit for 5 minutes before eating.
This recipe is very versatile and can be used as a side dish or even made into a main dish. The best part though? It reheats well the next day making it perfect for lunches. It also makes quite a bit so you’ll have plenty for a few meals.