How to Cook Arroz Verde

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 45 mins

Ingredients needed to make Arroz Verde:

• 1 serrano pepper, stemmed, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 2 poblano peppers, stemmed, deseeded and roughly chopped
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 medium scallions, roughly chopped
• 1 medium lime, halved
•  1 ½ cups long grain white rice
• ¼ cup water
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp vegetables oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Cooking instructions for Arroz Verde:

• Dump both kinds of peppers, cilantro, parsley as well as scallions into a blender and sprinkle the measured salt over them.
• Add a splash of water, cover and blitz them into a smooth, thick puree; set aside.
• Add a dollop of butter onto a large skillet and drizzle oil into it.
• Heat them over moderately high flame until the butter melts enough to foam and empty the cups of rice into it.
• Sauté for several minutes, while stirring well to grease each rice grain with the melted butter-oil blend.
• Continue to cook for next 3 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the rice turn golden slightly and becomes fragrant.
• Pour in the prepared puree and stir them all together to coat well.
• Cook until the mixture starts bubbling and pour in the chicken broth.
• Give them a nice stir and bring the mixture back to a simmer at slow flame.
• Place a lid on top and cook for 14 minutes, until the cooking liquid is absorbed by the rice to become soft yet firm.
• Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minute with the lid still on.
• Remove the lid and squeeze out the fresh juice from the lime halves.
• Stir it into the rice to mix well and spoon the rice into serving plates.
• Serve warm alongside grilled food.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Last Updated on May 2, 2013 by