Mexican Brown Rice Pilaf
As a former culinary student of Le Cordon Bleu, there is one thing that will always remind me of my time in culinary school - and that my friends is rice pilaf. It was a staple dish that we learned when we first arrived, but the principles of it would come back again and again over my years in school. There’s something magical about toasting rice with onions, garlic and olive oil and this technique can be used with risotto and even paella.
I decided to make this a Mexican inspired version because it’s so flavorful and will help you kick those bullion cubes or seasoning packets to the curb. As someone who is trying to get us away from processed foods, I really want to put an emphasis on how those cubes and seasoning packets are totally unnecessary. They often contain harmful preservatives, artificial colors and have an overwhelming amount of sodium.
This recipe will show you that you can easily make your own at home, while giving you the confidence to up level your cooking skills.
This recipe is:
A perfect staple.
Great for a crowd.
Gluten Free.
High in Protein.
Dairy Free.
Your new weeknight go-to!
Save this recipe and don’t forget to tag me @chef_bai over on instagram when you make this!
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Serves 2-3
The Goods:
1 cup short grain brown rice, rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 3/4 cups veggie broth
The Method:
First up, grab a sauce pan or whatever you prefer to make rice in and put it over medium heat. Once its hot, add your olive oil and onions with a pinch of salt. Stir for 2-3 minutes until onions are soft.
Next, add garlic, jalapeño and all the spices. Cook while stirring for about 30 seconds and then add in the tomato paste. Coat everything with the tomato paste by stirring and cook for about 20 seconds.
Add in the rice and stir while cooking for about 45 seconds. This is when you toast the rice so its very important to not skip this step!
Add in the broth and let the mixture come to a boil. Once it starts to boil turn the heat down to low, cover and then cook for 40 minutes (or to package cooking time).
After 40 minutes turn off heat and let it steam for another 10. This is VERY important. Don’t get tempted to check what’s underneath, trust the process.
Once its steamed, remove the lid, fluff with a fork and you’re good to go! Enjoy immediately with your favorite dish!
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