Mexican Cilantro Rice
Today I am feeling very happy for the soccer team from MEXICO 🙂 and in the celebration of their win today at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, I was inspired to make a Mexican rice; but not just your regular Mexican rice. Ohh no, today I made Mexican Cilantro Rice. In Mexico or (I’m sure) in all most every latin country, everyone has a tÃa Lupe in their family (tÃa means Aunt and Lupe is short for Guadalupe). When my family moved to Mexico from the US, my tÃa Lupe was the first person to serve me a plate of bright green cilantro rice. It was incredible cilantroso!
I remember my childish imagination thinking, how this would have been a better food option for Dr Seuss’s book; “Green eggs & Ham,” since this dish was green all over! I was very impressed with the color and hesitated on tasting it, but upon trying the first grains, it was distinctively delicious! It was like this rice was created for my taste buds! And ever since then I’ve had an affair with cilantro, it has been my best companion in the kitchen, in my recipes, on my health, and in my tummy! So if you love cilantro as much as I do then this is the dish for you! Also don’t forget to cheer for the Mexican team, VIVA MEXICO!!!
Mexican Cilantro Rice
Serves 4
1 cup of long-grain white rice
1 1/2-2 cups packed cilantro leaves
2 medium garlic cloves
1/4 white onion
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil
In a blender, add cilantro, garlic, onions and two cups of water. Blend everything until smooth and set aside. Heat the oil on medium high in a frying pan (or your usual rice pot), and add your rice. Mexican rice dishes are stir fried till they get browned before the broth is added, so keep stirring your rice until it gets a golden color, stay next to your rice to make sure it doesn’t burn. Once it has a nice golden-brown color; add the blended cilantro broth and salt. Wait for it to boil then cover with a tight lid and lower your flame to a simmer for 15-20 minutes depending on the type of rice you have. I like to cook mine with basmati rice…yes even if it is mexican rice. Basmati rice simply cooks fast, it’s fluffy, and has a great taste to it. When your rice is done you can mix it like my tÃa Lupe would; with fresh Mexican cheese and a dollop of Oaxacan Crema – that’s my favorite mexican cream. Enjoy like this or vegan with a side of pico de gallo and totopos or some Enchiladas Rojas.
Why cilantro is AMAZING because:
it is one of the richest herbal sources for vitamin K
it is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium.
The leaves and stem tips are also rich in numerous anti-oxidant polyphenolic flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol, rhamnetin and epigenin. Click here for more info.
