How to Make Mexican Rice

Lockdown has impacted all of us in one way or another. Maybe in a positive way, and in some situations, it was probably an unwelcome impact.

In my case, I got to discover a side of me that was good at cooking and baking. So I would say it was a good impact.

I have tried to make so many dishes in this past year. To my surprise, most of them turned out to be amazing. I ended up making them again and again on demand from my family. 

One of those dishes was Mexican rice. I was under the impression it was a difficult and complex dish to make. But I can't be more wrong. It was so easy to make and the best thing is it's a one-pot recipe. It was a very refreshing dish and a different dish from what we usually eat as rice. 

Without further ado, let's get started with the recipe:

Just a heads up, don't get overwhelmed by the long list of ingredients. Keep in mind it's an easy recipe to make. 😉

Ingredients: 

Oil- 2 tbsp

Rajma beans- 1/2 the cup cooked

Pre-cooked rice- 3 1/2 the cup

Finely Chopped Garlic- 1 tbsp

Chopped Onions- 1/4 the cup

Tomato Puree- 1/3 the cup

Salt to taste

Spices

Red chili powder- 2 tsp

Coriander powder- 1 tsp

Cumin powder- 1 tsp

Oregano- 2 tsp 

Chilli flakes- 2 tsp

Tomato Ketchup- 2 tbsp

Black pepper powder- 1/2 tsp

Vegetables

Chopped coriander leaves- 2 tbsp

Fresh jalapeno or thick red/green chili- 1/4 the cup 

Sweet corn- 1/3rd cup

Capsicum- 1/3rd cup 

Yellow bell pepper- 1/3rd cup

Red bell pepper- 1/3rd cup

It's okay if you can't find the yellow or red bell peppers, just double the quantity of capsicum and you are good to go. 

Method

• Heat a wok over medium heat, then add the oil and butter, allowing the butter to melt before increasing the heat to high. Add the garlic and cook for a minute on high heat.

• Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the onions are light golden brown in color.

• Add the tomato puree and salt, stir, and cook for a minute. Reduce the heat to low and add the powdered spices and tomato ketchup, stir, and cook thoroughly on high heat.

• Stir in the cooked rajma beans, vegetables, and black pepper powder, and simmer for another minute. Cook for 2-3 minutes on high heat, adding a splash of water if the mixture becomes too dry.

• Add the boiled rice and mix well by stirring gently.

• Lastly, add some freshly chopped coriander leaves and mix nicely.

• Your Mexican rice is ready, serve hot by topping it up with some processed cheese, crushed nacho chips, and some salsa on the side.

I have followed the recipe of one of my favorite YouTubers' channels called Your Food Lab. You can check out the video of Mexican rice for a better understanding.

If you feel this recipe is too much work, worry not. We have you covered. You can try ready-to-eat Mexican rice. It is super easy to make. 

Microwave: 

Pour the Desi Mealz container contents into a microwave-safe glass bowl. Stir it well and cook it for 3-4 minutes on high in the microwave. Now stir everything together thoroughly and serve the hot and wonderful Desi Mealz Mexican Rice.

Hot water: 

This is a technique for demonstrating Desimealz's travel-friendliness. A kettle is an apparent necessity for a traveler. Simply fill the container with 150ml of lukewarm water and Desi Mealz Mexican Rice. Allow 5-6 minutes to pass after covering the container. Now combine all of the ingredients and enjoy.