One of the most widely grown crops in the world, rice is the most important dietary staple in much of the world. It is actually the most commonly eaten grain on earth and is the basis of the traditional diet in eastern and southeastern Asia, much of Africa, the Caribbean and the region known as Latin America, spanning South, Central, and parts of North America. While rice is grown in the US and is indeed a common food here, it is in Mexico that North America can be said to truly have a culinary tradition including rice in an important role. It is second only to corn in its importance to Mexican cooking and there are far too many Mexican rice recipes to list here.
Even though it may seem like rice has always been there, it is one of the more recent ingredients used in Mexican cuisine, having arrived in the new world with Spanish and Portuguese colonists, along with beef, cheese and old world spices like cumin - all of which are now part and parcel of the country's culinary heritage. Many of Mexico's traditional rice recipes date back to shortly after the first rice crops were grown in the country.
Traditional Mexican Rice Recipe
Arroz con pollo is both a classic Mexican rice dish and a classic Mexican chicken dish. From the Spanish for "rice with chicken," this is the Mexican take on this timeless comfort food and it is an incredibly satisfying one. This is one Mexican rice recipe you may want to try making at home - it is a great change of pace from the familiar American version with canned soup.
In Mexico, this chicken recipe incorporates some new world ingredients into this Spanish recipe such as tomatoes. Mexican cooks tend to prepare this dish with Mexican oregano rather than the Greek oregano, which would be used by cooks in Spain. The addition of this similar tasting but slightly more assertively flavored herb puts a Mexican spin on the dish, making arroz con pollo translate perfectly into a wonderful Mexican rice dish.
Spanish Cuisine Adapts To The New World
Since rice was introduced to Mexico by the Spanish, a number of traditional Mexican rice recipes are adaptations of Spanish dishes using the ingredients available in Mexico. One example is paella, which is a rice recipe, which is strongly identified with Spain. However, Mexican cooks were doubtless creating rice and seafood dishes for a long time before paella as it is eaten in Europe was popularized by cooks in Valencia.
It so happens that the paella eaten in Spain actually has a bit of a Mexican accent to it as well. Tomatoes and bell peppers are both common ingredients in this dish; two ingredients which were brought back to Europe from the Americas! Paella is also an incredibly popular Mexican rice dish in its own right and there are even regional variations on paella throughout the country, particularly in those states, which lie along the coast.
Lightly seasoned Mexican rice is another of the better-known Mexican rice recipes. This rice is served as a complement to a wide variety of Mexican dishes, particularly beans. This is a dish, which is quite similar to Spanish rice; and just as with paella, this rice actually contains some new world ingredients.
Rice has become almost as important of a dietary staple in Mexico as it is in much of the world. It may not have been in the Mexican culinary repertoire as long as corn or chilies, but it has found a happy place in this one of a kind cuisine and if you enjoy any of these wonderful Mexican rice recipes, you are certainly glad that it made its way over to the Americas.
Even though it may seem like rice has always been there, it is one of the more recent ingredients used in Mexican cuisine, having arrived in the new world with Spanish and Portuguese colonists, along with beef, cheese and old world spices like cumin - all of which are now part and parcel of the country's culinary heritage. Many of Mexico's traditional rice recipes date back to shortly after the first rice crops were grown in the country.
Traditional Mexican Rice Recipe
Arroz con pollo is both a classic Mexican rice dish and a classic Mexican chicken dish. From the Spanish for "rice with chicken," this is the Mexican take on this timeless comfort food and it is an incredibly satisfying one. This is one Mexican rice recipe you may want to try making at home - it is a great change of pace from the familiar American version with canned soup.
In Mexico, this chicken recipe incorporates some new world ingredients into this Spanish recipe such as tomatoes. Mexican cooks tend to prepare this dish with Mexican oregano rather than the Greek oregano, which would be used by cooks in Spain. The addition of this similar tasting but slightly more assertively flavored herb puts a Mexican spin on the dish, making arroz con pollo translate perfectly into a wonderful Mexican rice dish.
Spanish Cuisine Adapts To The New World
Since rice was introduced to Mexico by the Spanish, a number of traditional Mexican rice recipes are adaptations of Spanish dishes using the ingredients available in Mexico. One example is paella, which is a rice recipe, which is strongly identified with Spain. However, Mexican cooks were doubtless creating rice and seafood dishes for a long time before paella as it is eaten in Europe was popularized by cooks in Valencia.
It so happens that the paella eaten in Spain actually has a bit of a Mexican accent to it as well. Tomatoes and bell peppers are both common ingredients in this dish; two ingredients which were brought back to Europe from the Americas! Paella is also an incredibly popular Mexican rice dish in its own right and there are even regional variations on paella throughout the country, particularly in those states, which lie along the coast.
Lightly seasoned Mexican rice is another of the better-known Mexican rice recipes. This rice is served as a complement to a wide variety of Mexican dishes, particularly beans. This is a dish, which is quite similar to Spanish rice; and just as with paella, this rice actually contains some new world ingredients.
Rice has become almost as important of a dietary staple in Mexico as it is in much of the world. It may not have been in the Mexican culinary repertoire as long as corn or chilies, but it has found a happy place in this one of a kind cuisine and if you enjoy any of these wonderful Mexican rice recipes, you are certainly glad that it made its way over to the Americas.
About the Author:
After a long, hard day at work, most of us do not want to spend hours cooking, which is where quick Mexican recipes come in very handy! Cooking at home works out much cheaper than ordering take out and it is healthier and tastier too, which is a good reason to try some Mexican recipes!
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