Recipe(tried): Mexican Restaurant Style Rice

MEXICAN RESTAURANT STYLE RICE

This makes a dry, fluffy, restaurant style, Mexican rice.

2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed
1/3 cup canola oil
1 medium white onion (3/4 cup), diced
2 teaspoons (or 4 cloves) minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 Tablespoons canned, mild green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste (depending on saltiness of chicken broth)
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place rice in strainer and rinse, stirring, under running water until it runs clear. About 2-minutes. This is important to create non-sticky restaurant style rice. Drain rice, making sure to shake out as much water as possible.

Heat canola oil to medium high in a dutch oven (3qt to 6qt) on the stove top. Drop a few rice grains in the oil. When they sizzle, add all remaining rice. Stir constantly and fry rice until it is light golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.

Add onions and stir into rice. Cook while stirring about 2 more minutes. Add garlic and stir for another minute.

Stir in chicken broth, tomato paste, green chilies and diced tomatoes. Stir well and bring to a boil.

When rice reaches a boil, place lid on dutch oven and place in 350 degree F preheated oven.

Bake 15-minutes then open oven and stir well. Replace dutch oven lid and bake another 15 to 20-minutes until done.

Remove from oven and stir in chopped cilantro.

Let rest, covered, about 10-minutes to allow cilantro flavor to be absorbed by the rice.