Mexican Restaurant Rice

[Antilope]

Mexican Restaurant Rice

This makes a dry, fluffy, restaurant style, Mexican rice.

2 cups long grain white rice, rinsed
1/3 cup canola oil
1 medium white onion (3/4 cup), diced
2 teaspoon s (or 4 cloves) minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 Tablespoons canned, mild green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste (depending on saltiness of chicken
broth)
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, diced

Preheat oven to 350-F. - Bake 30 minutes total, stirring after 15-
minutes.

Place rice in strainer and rinse under running water until it runs clear. About 2-minutes. This is important to create a dry, non-sticky restaurant style rice.

Drain rice, making sure to shake out as much water as possible.

Heat canola oil to medium high in a dutch oven (3qt to 6qt) on the stove top. Drop a few rice grains in the oil. When they sizzle, add all remaining rice. Stir constantly and fry rice until it is light golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.

Add onions and stir into rice. Cook while stirring about 2 more minutes. Add garlic and stir for another minute.

Stir in chicken broth, tomato paste, green chilies and diced tomatoes. Stir well and bring to a boil.

When rice reaches a boil, place lid on dutch oven and place in 350-F preheated oven. Bake 15-minutes then open oven and stir well. Replace dutch oven lid and bake another 15 to 20-minutes until done.

Remove from oven and stir in chopped cilantro. Cover and allow to rest about 10-minutes before serving.