Mexican-Style Rice

I don't know about you, but a lot of people have a hard time getting a perfect consistency when cooking their rice. Lets identify first what I mean by "perfect" as there really isn't anything perfect in this world. Soft and moist rice kernels that will be fully cooked, but not overdone, and that will not stick together like a big plaster of sorts... that is what I call great rice!

So, how do you get it this way? I'll show you how we do it at home; with practice it becomes a no brainer in no time!

1. You'll need one cup of rice. Do not rinse your rice before cooking it. If you really must, then let it dry beforehand. The point is, we need our raw rice to be dry.
2. Next, prepare your flavoring: blend together a large tomato, a piece of onion, 2 cubes of dry chicken bouillon, a pinch of cumin and one cup of water. Set aside for now.
3. Place the pan on the stove at medium heat. Add 2 spoons of your favorite cooking oil.
4. Once the oil is hot, add the rice (remember, it must be dry)
5. Stir constantly, making sure all the rice has its turn on the hot surface of the pan with the oil. Do this for about 2-5 minutes or until the rice becomes toasted all over. Now, the point at which you decide this is up to your personal taste. I like my rice to brown lightly before removing it from the heat.
6. At this point, add your extra ingredients plus an additional cup of water. Stir it all up and turn the heat up. Adjust the salt and other flavors to your preference at this point.
7. When it starts to boil, turn the heat as low as you can, and cover the pan. Let it cook this way for around 15-20 minutes (it all depends on your stove), checking it constantly to make sure it won't burn. No need to stir!
8. Your rice will be done when you stick in the spoon all the way down and you see no water left.

Now, how does your rice look after scooping some out, isn't it really gorgeous?

This recipe was very simple, but you can add other ingredients such as canned corn, peas or whatever you wish.

And remember 3 key points to getting it right:

• Rice must be dry to begin with
• Toast your rice
• 2 cups of liquid for every cup of rice

Enjoy!