Arroz a la Mexicana con Huevo Frito
Arroz a la Mexicana con Huevo Frito
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Forget the dry, flavorless filler shoved onto generic combination plates. True Mexican red rice is a deeply savory, tomato-infused masterpiece meant to stand alone, traditionally crowned with a bleeding fried egg. The secret to recreating the exact nostalgic flavor of a borderlands kitchen isn't an all-day homemade stock. It's the unapologetic use of Knorr tomato bouillon, the patience to toast the rice until it sounds like glass, and the ironclad rule of never lifting the lid while it steams.
Before you start
Blend the tomato base.
In a blender, combine the Roma tomatoes, white onion, garlic, and 1/4 cup of water, blending on high until completely smooth and liquefied.
Ingredients
- Roma tomatoes2 med
- white onion1/4 med
- fresh garlic2 small
- water1/4 cup
- long-grain white rice1 1/2 cup
- neutral cooking oil3 tbsp
- Knorr Tomato Bouillon with Chicken Flavor1 1/2 tbsp
- ground cumin1/2 tsp
- very hot water3 cup
- frozen peas and carrots1/2 cup
- serrano pepper1 whole
- large eggs4 large
- vegetable oil4 tsp
- kosher salt1 pinch
- black pepper1 pinch
Method
- 01
Toast the washed rice in oil over medium-high heat.
Cook the rice in a heavy-bottomed pot with the 3 tablespoons of neutral oil, stirring frequently for 5 to 8 minutes, until the grains turn light golden brown and sound like coarse sand or glass scraping the bottom.
- 02
Fry the tomato puree into the toasted rice.
Pour the blended tomato mixture directly into the hot pot—stand back, it will sizzle violently—and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the puree deepens to a dark, thick brick red.
- 03
Add the hot water, seasonings, and aromatics.
Pour in the 3 cups of very hot water, then stir in the Knorr bouillon, cumin, and frozen vegetables, resting the whole serrano pepper on top.
- 04
Cover tightly and simmer on the lowest possible heat for 18 minutes without peeking.
Bring the pot to a rolling boil, immediately drop the heat to low, cover, and under no circumstances lift the lid—doing so releases the steam needed for the rice to cook evenly.
- 05
Turn off the heat and let the pot rest undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Leave the lid firmly in place to allow the starches to firm up so the rice becomes fluffy instead of mushy, then finally remove the lid and gently separate the grains with a fork.
- 06
Steam-fry the eggs in a covered nonstick skillet.
Heat a teaspoon of oil per egg over medium-low, crack the egg into the pan, add a few drops of water to the edge, and cover immediately to steam the whites perfectly while keeping the yolk runny.
- 07
Serve the rice topped directly with a fried egg.
Spoon the fluffy red rice into shallow bowls, slide an egg over each portion, and break the yolk so it bleeds into the grains.
Notes
Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.
Thin aluminum pots create hot spots that will scorch the rice on the bottom before the steam can fully cook the top layer.
Don't skip rinsing the rice.
Washing the dry grains under hot tap water strips away the surface starches that cause sticky clumps, ensuring beautifully distinct, fluffy grains.
From Cook Tex-Mex.