03 January 2005
Arroz a la Mexicana – Mexican Style Rice
To be honest I'm not that good at this one - but it's a staple part of the Mexican diet, which is why I'm adding it in here. Maybe one day I'll do it well!! (For the moment I'll leave it to Rafa's sisters.)
Ingredients
1 cup of rice (washed and drained)
¼ spoon of finely diced garlic
1 tin of peas and carrots
butter or vegetable oil
½ cup of tomato purée
1 cup of cold water
1 ½ cups of vegetable stock (hot) (Yes, I know it should be chicken stock!)
3 spoonfuls of finely diced onion
1 sprig of finely chopped parsley
1 jalapeño/ serrano chilli
salt
Instructions
1. Put a large frying pan or saucepan on a medium heat.
2. Melt the butter or add the vegetable oil, so it covers the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the rice and add a little more butter or vegetable oil.
4. Add the onion and garlic and fry until the rice becomes clear.
5. Add the tomato purée, salt, cold water and parsley. Continue to cook until it starts to boil.
6. Add the hot stock and chilli. Cover the pan and lower the temperature to a simmer.
7. When the rice is spongy add the vegetables. It is almost ready.
8. When the rice is soft and the water has evaporated then it’s ready to serve.
Ingredients
1 cup of rice (washed and drained)
¼ spoon of finely diced garlic
1 tin of peas and carrots
butter or vegetable oil
½ cup of tomato purée
1 cup of cold water
1 ½ cups of vegetable stock (hot) (Yes, I know it should be chicken stock!)
3 spoonfuls of finely diced onion
1 sprig of finely chopped parsley
1 jalapeño/ serrano chilli
salt
Instructions
1. Put a large frying pan or saucepan on a medium heat.
2. Melt the butter or add the vegetable oil, so it covers the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the rice and add a little more butter or vegetable oil.
4. Add the onion and garlic and fry until the rice becomes clear.
5. Add the tomato purée, salt, cold water and parsley. Continue to cook until it starts to boil.
6. Add the hot stock and chilli. Cover the pan and lower the temperature to a simmer.
7. When the rice is spongy add the vegetables. It is almost ready.
8. When the rice is soft and the water has evaporated then it’s ready to serve.
01 January 2005
Salsas – sauces
The basic process for making a sauce is as follows:
1. Chop tomatoes and chilli.
2. Add onion, garlic and salt to taste.
3. Liquidise the ingredients, adding water as necessary to get the correct consistency.
4. Sieve the mixture to get out all the pips etc.
5. Fry the sauce on a low heat.
6. Use hot or cold.
You should use varying proportions of the ingredients to get different varieties of sauce. In Mexico there are many different types of chilli and both red tomatoes and green ones. Different varieties of tomato have different tastes too.
1. Chop tomatoes and chilli.
2. Add onion, garlic and salt to taste.
3. Liquidise the ingredients, adding water as necessary to get the correct consistency.
4. Sieve the mixture to get out all the pips etc.
5. Fry the sauce on a low heat.
6. Use hot or cold.
You should use varying proportions of the ingredients to get different varieties of sauce. In Mexico there are many different types of chilli and both red tomatoes and green ones. Different varieties of tomato have different tastes too.
"Pico de Gallo" Mexican Sauce
This is another very common sauce which is easy to make.
Ingredients
2 tomatoes
1 small onion
3 jalapeño chillies (or serrano chillies)
coriander
salt
Ingredients
2 tomatoes
1 small onion
3 jalapeño chillies (or serrano chillies)
coriander
salt
Instructions
1. Finely dice the tomatoes.
2. Finely slice the onion and chillies.
3. Mix together.
4. Add salt and chopped coriander to taste.
5. Serve cold.
It tastes good with most Mexican dishes, such as Enchiladas, Mexican-style Eggs or Nachos.
Guacamole
This is possibly the most famous Mexican sauce and is very easy to make. By the way, you are supposed to use Serrano chillies but I’m not so sure how easy they are to get outside Mexico.
Ingredients
2 avocadoes
1 tomato
1 small clove of garlic
2 slices of onion
jalapeño chillies
salt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
sprig fresh chopped coriander
Instructions
1. Cut the avocadoes in half. Take out the pulp and mash it.
2. Dice the tomato.
3. Chop the garlic and onion into small pieces.
4. Cut the top off the jalapeños and take out the middle with the seeds. (If you leave the seeds in the Guacamole will be hotter.) Cut the jalapenos into small pieces. (Remember the more chilli you add the hotter your Guacamole will be.)
5. Mix the avocado, tomato, onion, garlic and chilli together.
6. Add salt, pepper and coriander to taste.
7. There are 2 ways you can serve it. You can either leave the Guacamole as it is (with the bits of tomato etc in it) or you can blend it in a liquidiser (blender.)
8. Garnish with the coriander.
9. Use the Guacamole as a side dish for salads or eat it with Nachos such as “Doritos”.
Ingredients
2 avocadoes
1 tomato
1 small clove of garlic
2 slices of onion
jalapeño chillies
salt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
sprig fresh chopped coriander
Instructions
1. Cut the avocadoes in half. Take out the pulp and mash it.
2. Dice the tomato.
3. Chop the garlic and onion into small pieces.
4. Cut the top off the jalapeños and take out the middle with the seeds. (If you leave the seeds in the Guacamole will be hotter.) Cut the jalapenos into small pieces. (Remember the more chilli you add the hotter your Guacamole will be.)
5. Mix the avocado, tomato, onion, garlic and chilli together.
6. Add salt, pepper and coriander to taste.
7. There are 2 ways you can serve it. You can either leave the Guacamole as it is (with the bits of tomato etc in it) or you can blend it in a liquidiser (blender.)
8. Garnish with the coriander.
9. Use the Guacamole as a side dish for salads or eat it with Nachos such as “Doritos”.
