Mexican Rice

                                                                     Mexican rice is a simple tomato and lemon flavored rice with kidney beans.sometimes it is also called Spanish rice in which they use saffron for colour instead of tomatoes fully.I have tried to make it with the best ingredients available in my house.You can either use tomato puree made at home or the canned tomato puree which makes it easier and faster to cook!!

You will Need

• One cup Long Grain Rice
• Three Tomatoes
• One  sliced Onion
• Two Green Chillies or Jalepenos
• One or two crushed Garlic pods
• One fourth cup Kidney Beans
• One tbs Lemon Juice
• One tbsShredded Cheese
• Two Tbs of Oil
• Salt to taste

How to

• Soak the rice for ten minutes to thirty minutes

• Soak the rajma or kidney beans for five to six hours and pressure cook it for three whisltes with a little salt or use canned kidney beans. 

•  Throw the tomatoes in hot water for ten minutes.take it out peel the skin and beat it in to a puree.

•  Heat oil in a pan fry the sliced onion till translucent add cushed garlic and fry.

•   add chopped green chillies or jalepenos.

•  Remove the water from the soaked rice and add it to the fried onions.fry further till the rice becomes slightly brown.(this is a important step in this recipe)

•  Meanwhile collect the tomato puree and add a little water to make two cups.Once the rice becomes slightly brown add the tomato puree and cover and cook the rice in a reduced flame.

•  When the rice is half cooked add salt and kidney beans,give it a good stir and cover and cook till rice gets cooked.

•  Once the rice is cooked add lemon juice and garnish with corinader leaves and grated cheese.

 Notes

• You can add some vegetables and sweetcorn instead of Kidney beans.
• Make the tomato puree in to a portion propotionate to the rice quantity by adding water or vegetable stock.
• You can avoid the Lemon juice if you want to.
• You can add half a tsp of red chilli powder for colour and extra spice.       
• Add extra cheese if you wish to.