Mexican Rice
Serves 6 – 8
Ingredients
3 Cups Basmati Rice
3 Large Brown Onions, Halved then sliced
1 Large tin of Red Kidney Beans, Drained and rinsed
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
2 Medium Tomatoes, chopped
½ Each Red and Green Capsicums, Small diced
1/3 Cup Sliced Black Olives
Small handful fresh Basil leaves, chopped roughly
3 Large Garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 ½ Cups grated Cheddar cheese
3 TBS Ground Cumin
5 TBS Sweet Paprika
¼ tsp Chilli Flakes
¼ tsp Ground Chilli ( optional )
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
Method
· Preheat oven to 180C and spray a large roasting dish with oil.
· Rinse rice and cook by packet instructions until almost soft, drain and rinse under very hot water then drain very well leaving no water behind.
· Meanwhile heat some Olive Oil in a large frying pan and cook onions until almost soft, add Basil and garlic and cook a further 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Cumin, 3 TBS of the paprika, chilli flakes, ground chilli if using and the salt and pepper. Cook a further 1 minute stirring until fragrant. Remove from heat.
· Put the rice into the roasting dish and add the rice mixture with the extra other 2 TBS of paprika and stir well. Mix in the tins of tomatoes and the Red kidney beans. Mix well so that everything is distributed evenly.
· Pat down gently and smooth the top so that it is evenly sitting in the dish then cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
· Remove foil and top with the chopped tomatoes, olives, mixed capsicums and cheese. Bake a further 15 minutes until cheese is nicely melted then cut up and serve immediately.
Recipe is delicious cold or hot. Makes a lovely packed lunch also.
