On Fri, 12 Feb 2016 03:45:35 -0800, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

>
>"Janet B" > wrote in message
.. .
>> On Thu, 11 Feb 2016 19:51:40 -0600, "cshenk" > wrote:
>>
>>>Julie Bove wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> "cshenk" > wrote in message
>>>> ...
>>>> > Julie Bove wrote in rec.food.cooking:
>>>> >
>>>> > >
>>>> > wrote in message
>>>> > > ...
>>>> >>> I like canned spanish rice.
>>>> > >
>>>> > > I bought some many years ago that was good. Can't remember the
>>>> > > brand or where I was living when I bought it. But the only kind
>>>> > > I can find now in a can isn't good.
>>>> >
>>>> > I have never noticed canned rice. Could be they don't sell it
>>>> > here. I *do* recall a rather nice small can at HEB in San Antonio
>>>> > Texas that was a premade 'spanish rice' seasonings. You added it
>>>> > to cooked rice.
>>>> >
>>>> > Fortunately for me I have a rice machine (small unit) so even if I
>>>> > don't feel like cooking, that one is easy. If I'm really lazy, I
>>>> > ask my daughter to make it (grin).
>>>>
>>>> I most likely bought it at the military commissary and as I'm sure
>>>> you know, they often sell things that you can't get elsewhere. But
>>>> how can you do Spanish rice in a rice machine? How would you brown
>>>> it?
>>>
>>>Smile, you make the rice then brown it if that particular recipe calls
>>>for browning at all. Fact is there are so many varieties of 'spanish
>>>or mexican rice' that it's very possible you are used to making it
>>>almost rice-a-roni ish where you brown the rice in butter then add the
>>>water and seasonings?
>>>
>>>Others use fresh cooked rice which is then lightly stir fried in butter
>>>and olive oil then added spices and tomatoes are added.
>>>
>>>A simple sort that is soft and works well is to make a batch of rice
>>>(you'd want about 3 cups yield at least) then add Ro-Tel (or a store
>>>knock off) and heat then serve. Some heat the ro-tel separate in the
>>>microwave then use it to top the rice. While not haute cuisine, it's
>>>simple and fast and in your house may be more effective since people
>>>could chose to top the rice with that or something else.
>>
>> The dish is a pilaf and is thousands of years old. Pilaf exists every
>> where in the world and is made according to local traditions Generally
>> the basics are rice is 'browned' in a fat, cooked in a broth and
>> meats/vegetables are added. Rice a Roni, a rice and pasta dish is
>> still a pilaf.
>> Janet US
>
>Not according to this:
>
>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilaf

It is the style of the dish as opposed to cooking the rice in water
and eating plain or cooking the rice and then adding to other
ingredients to the rice. The rice, broth and other ingredients are
cooked together. I investigated pilaf years and years ago when I
noticed the likeness of several recipes
Carol's cooked rice with Rotel added to the cooked rice is not pilaf.
Arroz con Pollo is pilaf because the broth, chicken and vegetables are
cooked together.. As far as I can tell, Mexican/Spanish rice is pilaf
I very carefully said 'made according to local traditions' and
'generally the basics'. There are huge variations in the dish. Read
some recipes. Quite a few include pasta and some even include
potatoes.
Sorry, I didn't want to be "teachy", I'm just fascinated by how few
actual different 'recipes' there are. There are base methods that
have been adjusted to reflect available food stuffs, climate,
religions.
Photos of huge differences:
http://tinyurl.com/gvfmclx
Janet US