Typical Mexican restaurant rice is made with red tomato seasoning powder and chicken powder. At home, we use real tomatoes, which is much healthier.
Main ingredients: 1 cup of long-grain rice
3-4 Roma tomatoes, garlic cloves, onions, a pinch of salt.
Boil until soft, then blend with a spoonful of chicken powder to make a red tomato broth. Use this broth to cook the rice.
Rinse the rice thoroughly and drain as much water as possible. Heat oil in a pot, add the rice, and stir-fry until it turns white. Add the tomato broth. Cover the pot and try not to open it often. Once it boils, reduce to low heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. I usually prepare it in advance so it can steam longer, making the rice softer, which the kids love.
The heat level is crucial. In my past failures, the heat was too high, resulting in undercooked rice and burnt bottom. So be sure to keep it on low heat. Stir-frying the rice is also important; don’t let the oil get too hot and slowly stir-fry until the rice changes color.
If you prefer a redder color, you can add tomato powder. I don’t usually use it, so I don’t have any at home.
Sometimes I also add diced carrots 🥕, peas, corn kernels, etc… The kids really love it! It’s worth trying!