Arroz Verde (Mexican Green Rice)

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 300 g poblano peppers

  (about 4 medium peppers)
• 25 g cilantro

  (about 4 small plants or 20 large stems)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt

  plus more to taste
• 3.25 cups chicken stock

  (approximately - see note) or substitute vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 100 g white onion

  (~1/4 cup) diced
• 2 tbsp lime juice

  freshly squeezed
• fried egg

  to serve (optional)
• cotija or queso fresco cheese

  to serve (optional)

Instructions

• 1 Soak the rice in lukewarm water for 2-3 minutes, then drain and rinse thoroughly
  (until the water running off of the rice is clear).
• 2 Combine the poblanos, cilantro, garlic, and salt in a food processor or blender.
  Add 1/4 cup of stock and process until smooth (it's difficult to completely
  break down the peppers, but aim for something fairly smooth). Press the puree
  against a fine sieve over a bowl in order to extract as much juice as possible.
  You should have approximately 1 cup of liquid from the previous step - if you
  have more or less, you'll adjust the amount of chicken stock you use in the next
  step.
• 3 Measure out 3 cups of stock (or more or less if necessary depending on the
  amount of liquid you have from the previous step) to make 4 cups of liquid
  total. Keep the stock and the vegetable juice separate.
• 4 Heat the oil in medium saucepan until very hot but not smoking. Add the rice and
  cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. The toasted rice should begin to
  smell nutty, and will begin to turn an opaque white. A few grains may begin to
  brown slightly, but if you start to see too much browning, reduce the heat and
  proceed immediately to the next step.
• 5 Add the onion to the rice and saute for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• 6 Pour the pureed poblano mixture into the pot and stir. Cook over medium heat for
  2-3 minutes. The colour should deepen slightly, and most of the liquid should be
  absorbed by the rice. Add the chicken or vegetable stock and lime juice and
  bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to
  the lowest simmer that you can. Cook until the liquid has been absorbed and the
  rice is still moist; about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, check the texture of
  the rice. A tiny bit of 'al dente' bite is good, but if the rice is too crisp,
  add a couple of tablespoons of water to the pot and simmer for an additional 2-3
  minutes. Once the rice is finished, allow it to rest, covered, for 5-10 minutes.
• 7 To serve, fluff the rice with a fork. Serve as is, or garnished with a little
  cheese. If you want to make a meal out of it (especially a great breakfast),
  serve topped with a fried egg (leftovers are fantastic when warmed through and
  served this way).

Nutrition Info