My mother’s Spanish rice (aka Mexican rice) is a mandatory accompaniment to any Mexican dish we serve at our house, whether it’s with enchiladas or tostadas, or with steak and black beans. This rice is our family’s comfort food. My mom always makes a big batch when she makes it, because we can’t get enough!
Spanish rice is essentially a rice pilaf, but with southwestern flavorings. To make it you brown the raw rice first with onions and garlic, and then cook the rice in chicken broth with added tomatoes. The browning is essential to the nutty, almost toasty flavor of the rice. And although bouillon can be substituted for the chicken stock, nothing beats homemade chicken stock, whose rich flavor is absorbed by the rice as it cooks.
Mom has perfected the art of preparing the rice quickly. She heats the tomato-y stock in a separate pot while the rice is browning, and then combines the two to cook while she prepares the rest of the meal. You could easily make it one pot if you wanted.
Updated from the recipe archives. First posted in 2004.
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Spanish Rice Recipe
Prep time: 5 minutesCook time: 30 minutesYield: Serves 4 to 6.
My mother browns the rice in a separate pan from the pot she uses to heat the stock. This is just to save time. You could easily brown the rice and onions, and add cold stock and tomatoes to it, bring to a simmer, cover and cook, all in one pot.
If you have homemade stock, use it! That's what will take this Spanish rice from good to great.
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INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup)
1 onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice
3 cups* chicken stock (or vegetable stock if vegetarian)
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained
Pinch of oregano
1 teaspoon salt
*Check the instructions on the rice package for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe, use 4 cups of stock for 2 cups of rice.
METHOD
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1 Heat olive oil in large skillet on medium/high heat. Add the rice and stir it so that the rice is lightly coated with the oil. Cook on medium high heat, stirring often, until much of the rice has browned. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently another 3 minutes, until the onions begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook until the onions are translucent and softened, about a minute more.
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2 To save time you can bring the stock to a simmer in a separate saucepan, with the tomato sauce, oregano, and salt. Add the browned rice to the simmering broth (or broth to the rice, depending on which pan has a cover). Or you can skip the simmering step and just add the broth (and tomatoes etc) to the rice. Bring everything to a simmer, cover the pot and lower the heat to barely maintain a low simmer. Cook for 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
The word congee comes from Tamil கஞ்சி (kanji),[1][2] a prominent food of ancient Tamil people. The English form may have arrived in the language via Portuguese. In other Asian cultures, it is also called kanji (Tamil/Tulu), kaṇhji (Malayalam),[3] pakhal bhat (Oriya), ganji (Kannada/Telugu),"bor bor" ([Khmer]), juk (Hakka, Cantonese, Korean), muay (Hokkien and Teochew), zhōu (Mandarin), cháo (Vietnamese), deythuk (Tibetan), chok (Thai), kayu (Japanese), lúgaw (Tagalog), Bubur or kanji (Indonesian and Malay) or jaou (Bengali) which is derived directly from the Chinese character 粥 ( which means gruel), canja (Portuguese). It is also called xifan (稀飯) in some Chinese provinces.
Preparation[edit]
To prepare the dish, rice is boiled in a large amount of water until it softens significantly. Congee can be made in a pot or in a rice cooker. Some rice cookers have a "congee" setting, allowing it to be cooked overnight. The type of rice used can be either short or long grain, depending on what is available and regional cultural influences. Culture also often dictates the way congee is cooked and eaten.
In some cultures, congee is eaten primarily as a breakfast food or late supper; in others, it is eaten as a substitute for rice at other meals.[citation needed] It is often considered particularly suitable for the sick as a mild, easily digestible food.[4]
By country[edit]
Burma[edit]
In Burma (now called Myanmar), rice congee is called ဆန်ပြုတ် hsan byok [sʰàmbjoʊʔ], literally "boiled rice". It is very thin and plain, often made with just rice and water, but sometimes with chicken or pork stock and served with a simple garnish of chopped spring onions and crispy fried onions. As in other Asian countries, rice congee is considered food for the unwell.[citation needed]
China[edit]
Chinese congees, or jook, (Chinese: 粥; pinyin: zhōu) vary considerably by region. For example, to make Cantonese congee, white rice is boiled in many times its weight of water for a long time until the rice breaks down and becomes a fairly thick, white porridge (Pinyin: báizhōu).[5] Congees made in other regions may use different types of rice with different quantities of water, producing congees of different consistencies.
Congee is often eaten with zhacai, salted duck eggs, lettuce and dace (Cirrhinus chinensis - Chinese mud carp) paste, bamboo shoots, youtiao, rousong, pickled tofu, wheat gluten, with other condiments, meat or century eggs.
Other seasonings, such as white pepper and soy sauce, may be added. Grilled fish may be mixed in to provide a different texture.
Congee is often eaten with fried bread sticks known as youtiao. Congee with youtiao is commonly eaten as breakfast in many areas in China. Congee can be left watery, or can be drained so it has a texture similar to Western oatmeal porridge. Congee can also be made from brown rice, although this is less common and takes longer to cook.
Besides being an everyday meal, congee is considered to be food therapy for the unwell. Ingredients can be determined by their supposed therapeutic value as well as flavor.
The origin of congee is unknown, but from many historical accounts, it was usually served during times of famine, or when numerous patrons visited the temples,[citation needed] as a way to stretch the rice supply to feed more people.
In China, congee has also been used to feed young infants. However, the cooking time is much longer than for okayu and, because it is for infants, the congee is not seasoned with salt or any other flavoring. Often it is mixed with steamed and deboned fish.
Congee made from other grains, such as cornmeal, millet, barley, and sorghum, are common in the north of China[citation needed] where rice does not grow as well as other grains suited for a colder climate. Multigrain congee mixes are sold in the health food sections of Chinese supermarkets. Congee with mung beans is usually eaten with sugar, like red bean congee.
India[edit]
In Tamil Nadu, a plain rice porridge, or the thick supernatant water from overcooked rice, is known as kanji. Kanji or Congee is also prepared with different grains available in different parts of Tamil Nadu, for example minor millet or pearl millet,[6][7] finger millet,[8] broken wheat, maize.The people of Kerala also call this preparation of rice in a watery state kanji, and it is eaten as a porridge with green lentils or chutney.[citation needed] Kanji is prepared with rice or ragi. Nuts and spices are added to the kanji depending on the economic status or health requirements. Rice kanji is prepared by boiling rice in large amounts of water. To this preparation, either milk and sugar (usually jaggery) or curd (yoghurt) and salt are added. Ragi kanji is prepared by drying ragi sprouts in shade, and then grinding them into a smooth powder. This powder is added to water and cooked. Milk and brown sugar are added to this cooked preparation for taste. Ragi kanji can be given to infants after six months. Another kanji preparation uses jevvarisi (sago in English, sabudana in Hindi) in kanji. Sago is dry roasted and powdered with/ without sugar. Powdered sago is boiled in water until cooked. This is eaten by all ages from adults to infants as young as three months.
In the state of Kerala, during the Malayalam month of Karkkidakam, a medicinal kanji is made using Ayurvedic herbs, milk and jaggery. Karkkidakam is known as the month of diseases since the monsoon starts during Karkkidakam. Karikkidaka Kanji is eaten to promote the immune system.[9]
According to the Indian writer Madhur Jaffrey, kanji is, or is derived from, a Tamil word for "boilings", referring to the porridge and also to any water in which rice has been cooked.[citation needed]
Muslims of south India especially tamil muslim, Mappila and Beary prepare speacial kanji during month of Ramadhan which is called "nombu kanji" literally meaning fasting porridge .This is prepared by adding spices like turmeric,dry ginger,pepper,onion to the to the rice along with coconut paste and sometimes fenugreek seeds are added to it to enhance the flavour
In the Goa, Udupi and Mangalore districts, people usually eat rice ganji in a variant manner made by Kannada-speaking, Tulu-speaking or Konkani people in and around Udupi and Mangalore (Karnataka, South India). There, parboiled rice (kocheel akki in Kannada, oorpel aari for black rice, bolenta aari for white rice in Tulu or ukde tandool in Konkani) is steamed with a large amount of water. Jain ganji matt are famous in these districts. Usually, simple ganji with pickle and milk are served, in jain matts. Fresh coconut is grated, and the resulting milk skimmed and added to the ganji (called paez or pyaaz in Konkani), which is served hot with fish curry, coconut chutney, or Indian pickles. In Goa, it is normally served with dried or fresh cooked fish, papad or vegetables.[citation needed]
In the state of Andhra Pradesh, it is called ganji in Telugu and mostly eaten by the very poor.[citation needed]Ganji is made by boiling Rice is large amount of water and then the liquied is filtered known as Ganji. Ganji mixed with buttermilk brings good taste also suggested by doctors for recovering the patients health.
Pakhal bhat is an authentic and traditional Oriya dish. People in Odisha like it because of its unique taste. It is a soup-based dish like dal, but tastes a little sour. This is a very healthy dish as lots of vegetables and curd are used as main ingredients.[citation needed]
Indonesia[edit]
Bubur ayam, Indonesian chicken congee
In Indonesia, congee, called bubur, is a favourite breakfast food, and many food vendors pass through the streets at dawn, calling "bubur" to sell it to householders. A popular version is bubur ayam, which is congee with shredded chicken meat. It is also served with many condiments, such as green onion, crispy fried shallot, fried soybean, Chinese crullers (youtiao, known as cakwe in Indonesia), both salty and sweet soy sauce, and sometimes it is topped with yellow chicken broth and kerupuk (Indonesian style crackers). Unlike many other Indonesian dishes, it is not spicy; sambal or chili paste is served separately.
The food hawkers sometimes have sate to go with it, made from quail egg or chicken intestine, liver, gizzard, or heart.
On Bali's north coast, famously in the village called Bondalem, there is a local congee dish called mengguh, a popular local chicken and vegetable rice congee that is spicier than common bubur ayam and more similar to tinutuan, using a spice mix of onions, garlic, coriander seeds, pepper, and chili.[10]
In another region of Indonesia, Manado, very popular is tinutuan, or bubur Manado (Manadonese porridge), another porridge with ample vegetables. A bit different from the one sold on Java Island, it is made from rice porridge and enhanced with water spinach or kangkung, corn kernels, yam or sweet potato, dried salty fish, lemon basil or kemangi leaves, and melinjo or Gnetum gnemon leaves.
Sago flour is made into porridge in eastern Indonesian, as the staple food of Maluku and Papuan people. The sago congee is called papeda, and usually is eaten with yellow soup made from tuna or mubara fish spiced with turmeric and lime.
Japan[edit]
Nanakusa-gayu (七草粥), seven-herb porridge
Rice porridge breakfast in Kyoto
Okayu (お粥?) is the name for the type of congee eaten in Japan,[11] which is less broken down than congee produced in other cultures.[citation needed] For example, a Cantonese-style congee typically uses a water-to-rice ratio of 12:1, but okayu typically uses ratios of 5:1 (zen-gayu) or 7:1 (shichibu-gayu).[citation needed] Also, its cooking time is shorter than other types of congee: okayu is cooked for about 30 minutes, while Cantonese congees cook for an hour or more.
Okayu may be made with just rice and water, and is often seasoned with salt. Eggs could be beaten into it to thicken it into gruel. Toppings may be added to enhance flavour; negi (a type of green onion), salmon, roe, ginger, and umeboshi (pickled ume fruit) are among the most common. Miso or chicken stock may be used to flavor the broth. Most Japanese electric rice cookers have a setting for okayu.
In Japan, okayu is popularly known as a food served to the ill.[12] Because it is soft and easily digestible, okayu is commonly the first solid food served to Japanese infants; it is used to help with the transition from liquids to normally cooked "plain" rice, gohan (ご飯?), as it is a major part of the Japanese diet. It is also commonly eaten by the elderly for the same reasons.
A type of okayu called nanakusa-gayu (七草粥, "seven herb porridge") is traditionally eaten on 7 January[13] with special herbs that some believe protect against evils and invite good luck and longevity in the new year. As a simple, light dish, nanakusa-gayu serves as a break from the many heavy dishes eaten over the Japanese New Year.
Zōsui (雑炊?) is a similar dish, which uses already cooked rice, rather than cooking the rice in the soup...........?
