ARROZ ROJO RED RICE

Red rice—rice flavored (and colored) with pureed tomatoes—is a staple dish in Mexico. For the tastiest results, choose the ripest, reddest tomatoes you can find. Typically we use peas and carrots as I call for here, but feel free to use other similar vegetables—just chop them into small, even cubes and try to keep the amounts roughly the same, preserving the vegetable to rice ratio.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

½ cup / 120ml water, plus more as needed
4 Roma tomatoes, cored
½ white onion, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 sprig cilantro
1 cup / 200g long-grain white rice
1 tsp sea salt
½ cup / 50g fresh or frozen (unthawed) peas (optional)
½ cup / 60g minced carrots (optional)
In a blender, combine the water, tomatoes, and onion. Blend completely. You need 2 cups / 480ml of liquid to cook the rice, so top off the tomato mixture with more water, as needed.
Add the oil to a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat until it’s hot but not smoking. Add the garlic, cilantro, and rice and fry, stirring constantly, until each grain of rice is opaque.
Add the pureed tomato mixture and the salt to the pan. Add the peas and carrots. Bring the mixture to a boil, then decrease the heat to low, return to a simmer, and cover the pot with a lid. Let the rice simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes. Check the rice for doneness by tasting a few grains. They should be tender but not mushy, separate and distinct. If needed, cook for 3 to 5 minutes longer. Remove the garlic and cilantro before serving.
While I recommend making this rice right before serving, if you make it ahead of time, empty the cooked rice onto a baking sheet and spread it out until it has cooled; this will keep the rice on the bottom of the pot from overcooking and becoming mushy. Transfer the rice to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can reheat the rice by steaming it. To do so, place a steamer basket in a pot over gently boiling water, spoon the rice into the basket, place the lid on the pan, and steam for 2 to 3 minutes.
ARROZ VERDE GREEN RICE
Colored green by a blend of poblano chile and cilantro, this is one of my favorite rice recipes. For variety, you could also toss in a handful of minced fresh spinach leaves, kale, or a spicier green pepper.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

2 cups / 480ml water or chicken stock, plus more as needed
1 poblano chile, cut in half lengthwise, stemmed, seeded, and veins removed (or not, depending on how spicy you want this to be)
½ cup / 10g cilantro leaves, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove
½ white onion, minced
1 cup / 200g long-grain white rice
1 tsp sea salt, plus more as needed
In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the water or chicken stock to a boil, then add the chile and decrease the heat. Let the chile simmer for about 10 minutes until soft. Pour the cooking liquid and the chile into a blender. For a uniformly green rice, add the cilantro and liquefy. For more flecked rice, liquefy only the chile and the liquid and wait to add the cilantro to the cooking pan. You need 2 cups / 240ml of the liquid to cook the rice, but you can top off the green liquid with more water, as needed.
Add the oil to a medium heavy-bottom saucepan and warm over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the garlic, onion, and rice and fry, stirring constantly, until each grain of rice is opaque.
Add the poblano liquid, salt, and the cilantro if not added earlier to the cooking liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil, then decrease the heat to low; return to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid. Let the rice simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes. Check the rice for doneness by tasting a few grains. They should be tender but not mushy, separate and distinct. If needed, cook for 3 to 5 minutes longer. Taste and add more salt if needed. Remove the garlic before serving.
While I recommend making this rice right before serving, if you make it ahead of time, empty the cooked rice onto a baking sheet and spread it out until it has cooled; this will keep the rice on the bottom of the pot from overcooking and becoming mushy. Transfer the rice to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can reheat the rice by steaming it. To do so, place a steamer basket in a pot over gently boiling water, spoon the rice into the basket, place the lid on the pan, and steam for 2 to 3 minutes.