Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe | Easy Mexican Recipes

Cilantro lime rice is one of the main components of the famous Chipotle style Mexican Burrito Bowl.It is an easy recipe which can be prepared with minimal ingredients available in the kitchen.You do not need to make the complete Burrito bowl to enjoy this Cilantro-Lime rice.It pairs up beautifully with any spicy dish and I like to pair it with a spicy bell pepper sauce and Cucumber-Sour cream dip or Rajma.

 

Chipotle style Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe:

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 cup Basmati Rice or Long grain Rice

Juice of 1 big Lime

3-4 tbsp chopped fresh Coriander leaves

1 tbsp Olive Oil/Butter

Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash and Soak Basmati rice for 10-15 mins.Drain the water and keep it aside.
• Heat olive oil/butter in a thick bottomed kadai and add rice and fry well until it becomes translucent.
• Add 2 cups of water and add salt and few drops of lime juice and cover it and cook it on low flame for 12-15 mins until it is cooked completely.Once the rice is done keep it covered for 10 mins.
• Fluff up the rice with a fork carefully,do not over do this.Add the rest of lime juice,chopped coriander and mix well and keep it aside for 10-15 mins until the flavors blend well.

Serve it with any spicy side dish or spicy bell pepper sauce(recipe below) and Cucumber-Sour cream dip like I did.I even served Broccoli stir fry as a side.
You can even use it in your burrito bowl.I like to combine this with Indian Kidney beans -Rajma .

Notes:

1. Sometimes the rice turn bitter if lime juice is added to rice while cooking,hence I prefer to add it after the rice is cooked.
2. Adding few drops of lime juice while cooking makes the rice fluffy and would not stick.
3. You can saute 2-3 finely chopped garlic pods and 1 finely chopped onion in the oil before adding the rice.
4. If you have vegetable stock in hand,use it instead of water,it makes the rice even more flavorful.
5. You can use any neutral flavored oil instead of olive oil in the recipe.
6. You can use this rice to stuff in a burrito with sour cream,salsa and veggies to make a wrap.

Spicy Bell Pepper Sauce Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 Red bell pepper,finely chopped

1/2 Yellow bell pepper,finely chopped

1 small Onion,finely chopped

2-3 big Garlic pods,finely chopped

1 tsp Corn flour

few drops of Vinegar(or Soya sauce)

few drops of Tabasco sauce or Hot sauce

1 tsp Mixed Herbs or Herbs de Provence

1/2 tsp Red chili flakes

1/2 tsp Pepper powder

1 tbsp Olive oil

Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat olive oil and add chopped garlic and onion and saute it nicely.
• Add finely chopped bell peppers and saute them for a couple of minute.Keep them crunchy and do not let them become soft.
• Add red chili flakes and herbs to it and saute for a minute.
• Add 1 cup of water and let it come to a boil.
• Add salt and pepper powder to it and mix well.
• Meanwhile mix cornflour in 2-3 tbsp of water nicely and add this to the boiling mixture and mix it nicely so that no lumps would be formed.Let it boil for 3-4 mins until the sauce becomes thick.
• Add tabasco sauce, soya sauce or vinegar to it and mix well and switch off the flame immediately.

Serve it with Cilantro lime rice.

Notes:

1. Adjust the seasonings,sauces according to your taste buds.
2. I like the hint of soya sauce in the sauce,it is optional.You can add just vinegar or soya sauce or both.