Arroz Rojo

Fluffy Mexican arroz rojo with toasted rice cooked in tomato, garlic and stock.

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Frying the dry rice until lightly golden before adding liquid helps the grains remain separate and gives Mexican red rice its characteristic flavour.

Ingredients

• 300 g long-grain white rice
• 300 g ripe tomatoes (roughly chopped)
• 0.5 onion (roughly chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 550 ml chicken or vegetable stock (hot)
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 carrot (finely diced)
• 80 g peas
• 0.75 tsp salt

Step-by-step method

1. Blend the tomatoes, onion and garlic until smooth. Measure 300 ml of this tomato mixture.
2. Rinse the rice briefly and drain extremely well; excess water will make it splatter when fried.
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until many grains look pale golden.
4. Carefully add the tomato mixture and cook for 2 minutes, stirring until it is absorbed slightly.
5. Pour in the hot stock, add the carrot and salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to very low and cook for 12 minutes.
6. Scatter the peas over the top, cover again and cook for another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes.
7. Fluff gently with a fork and serve warm.