>> Hilah: What’s up dudes!
I am Hilah, and welcome to Hilah Cooking.
Today, I am going to do a special segment called “Restaurant Secrets Exposed!” and
I have always loved the Mexican rice that you get at Mexican restaurants.
It’s all fluffy.
It’s delicious.
It tastes like garlic.
They have onion chunks in it, and somehow it’s kind of like a pinkish color, whatever,
I finally figured out how to do it, and now I am going to share it with you today, and
I really hope that you’re all just as excited as I am because if not, I’m going to be
really, really super-embarassed.
[MUSIC]
[Homemade Mexican Rice]
>> Hilah: Okay, so I kind of hate to blow my whole, big surprise right at the beginning,
but the trick is I’ve got my rice here.
I’ve got it soaking in water.
That’s the trick.
Put your rice in a little sieve or whatever, although I always say sieve.
I don’t know how to pronounce that word, and then put some water in there, and then
soak it for 15 minutes, and this is just regular, old long-grain rice and I learned this little
trick where you put the water in the little thingy first and then put it in the water.
I picked that up from Jay El Coro over at The Aimless Cook, so thanks Jay.
So, we’re just going to let this soak, and while we go over here and do this other stuff
right over here.
In this little pot I just have some butter.
You can use oil or whatever.
Alright, and then it’s just got some onion, celery, garlic and bay leaf, and if your favorite
Mexican restaurant uses carrots or peas in their rice then you can add those too, but
mine just uses celery and onion, so I just want to get these a little bit softened.
Give me just five minutes.
Okay, so this is nice and soft.
I just wanna make that sound happen.
Drain it as much as you can, and then, and then I’ve got some tomato paste to add and
get that stirred around.
You just kind of want to stir it until the tomato paste is coating all of the rice nice
and evenly, and that’s what’s going to make it look all cute and pink, and now I
am gonna to add salt and pepper.
I am using a homemade chicken broth, so this doesn't have any salt in it.
If you’re using a store bought chicken broth, then taste it first, and if it’s real salty,
you might not need to add anymore salt and some pepper.
Okay, we’re just gonna to kind of fry it a little bit, kind of just trying to dry the
rice out just a smidge, and when it starts to, I don’t know, look like that.
It’s not quite all like clumping together anymore.
Then we’re gonna to add our chicken stock, and you know, you can use vegetables also.
Okay, I am going to turn my heat back up to high, and then we’re just gonna cook this
like regular rice, so we’ll bring it to a boil with a lid, and then as soon as it
starts to boil, turn the heat down to as low as you go.
Okay party people, it’s time for rice!
Just kidding.
So, it’s actually been 10 minutes, and I am gonna turn it off and look at it.
Oh look!
Look how fluffy that is.
Don’t eat it yet.
I am gonna put the lid back on it, and we’re gonna let it sit for five more minutes, and
that is going to ensure extra, extra fluffiness.
Okay, five minutes later, and then you wanna just kidn of use a fork to fluff that up.
Look at that.
It’s like confetti it’s so fluffy and tender.
Okay.
I am just gonna serve it a little bit.
Oh, that’s delicious.
Look at that.
Okay.
Get a little bite here.
Mmmmmmm man!
Just like at the Mexican restaurant.
Okay.
Well, there’s how to make fluffy, tender, Tex-Mex style rice.
A couple of people had requested that too, so I am happy to be able to provide, and I
hope you try the recipe.
If you have any questions leave them below, and I will get to them as soon as I can, so
thanks so much for watching and have a wonderful week.
Bye!