Friday, November 21, 2008

Arroz Verde a Mi Manera (Green Rice my Way)

This is my recipe, I made it up myself. I have a Peruvian friend who would make "Arroz Verde", I really liked it so I would make her's sometimes, but I decided to completely adjust it to the taste of my household and make it "Cubanized" I guess one could call it "Arroz Verde Estilo Cubano" (Cuban style green rice?) It is very flavorful and delicous, it's a very simple side dish.

I do mine in a rice cooker you can adjust it to do it stove top.

Ingredients:
-3 cups long grain white rice
-1 big bunch of cilantro (cleaned well, but with stems and all)
-1 onion finely minced
-1 green bell pepper finely minced
-5-6 cloves garlic finely minced (I use a mortar and pestle most of the time or garlic press)
-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1/2 teaspoon finely ground fresh black pepper
-2 teaspoons salt
-1/4-1/2 tsp. monosodium glutamine (msg... it's optional popular brand is Ajinamoto)

Directions:
(1)
Heat olive oil on medium high heat, sautee onion and bell pepper 5 minutes, add garlic sautee 2 minutes. Meanwhile blend cilantro in a blender with 1 cup water. When garlic is fragrant, add the blended cilantro and stir well bring to boil.



(2)Meanwhile, now wash rice well drain, and add to rice cooker, throw in the stuff you sauteed, add salt, cumin, pepper, and msg stir well, add water necessary to cook rice.

NOTES:
(1)
Water may vary I use a long-grain jasmine rice that is new crop it only needs equal water to rice. Regular long-grain white rice needs no more than 1 1/2 cups water per cup. Also don't forget the water in the blended cilantro counts to.

(2)
For the original "Peruvian version" you only use cilantro ,garlic, onion, and Peruvian yellow pepper, and season with only salt, black pepper, and msg. Sometimes they will use chicken stock.

(3)This rice tastes fabulous with some fried eggs on top.

(4)
If doing on stove top, make the sautee in a large pot, and add blended cilantro, spices and water, bring to a boil and add washed, add drained clean rice stir once, cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

My way, why not! Looks good to me, enjoyed the blog

Núria said...

Bravo Nathan!!! Me parece estupendo :D y la idea de acompañar con huevos fritos deliciosa!!!

I'm back from Budapest! Isn't it great to be home again? I missing you all and my kitchen ;D

Nathan said...

Orce Serrano Hams,
Thanks for enjoying my blog :D I'm a go check yours soon :)

Nuria,
Happy to see you back I missed your comments they always bring me joy! Can't wait to see what treats you brought :) Oh and yup fried eggs are one of my comfort foods I love it with fluffy white rice steamed with olive oil and salt to.

Marilyn said...

Hi Nathan,
Yummy!
La proxima vez que haga Arroz Verde sustituire la espinaca por cilantro y hare tu receta.
Saludos!

Nathan said...

Marilyn,
Thanks I hope you like it :)

Anonymous said...

dude your funny..... i love the food you should come and make me some im a bad cook..... lol

Nathan said...

Aspen,
Damn surprised to see such a young person reading a food blog lol. well through foodie blogs like mine you'll be surprised how much you can learn, pictorials help to.

Felisha said...

This looks good! I like the peru version--I was wondering how much aji amarillo should I use? :)

Nathan said...

Felisha,
It depends how spicy u like it, like 1 or 2 no more than 2 I would say (plus they are hella expensive here in the states I buy them frozen since theres no fresh)

tinyskillet said...

I love it! Great green rice!

Nathan said...

Did you make it? if so glad you tried it :D

Jim said...

Arroz Verde is actually eaten in various forms in Mexico and can be found in parts of Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Yucatan. Here is one recipe for it:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Green-Poblano-Rice-Arroz-Verde-al-Poblano-15367

Anonymous said...

I've never heard of green rice, until.today when I went to a new cuban restaurant in my area. They let me have a taste (needles to say I ordered it lol) and I had to Google "cuban style green rice" & ran into your recipe which I will.try ova the weekend. (I just don't have a rice cooker) but still will attempt your recipe that sounds delicious!