On 2/12/2016 10:09 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> "Janet B" > wrote in message
> ...
>> 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
>
> But you said that the rice was browned in fat. I suppose some recipes
> might be but my mom always made hers in the oven and it wasn't browned
> in fat. I did look it up and didn't see any that was browned in fat
> either. I once made a Greek rice and spinach dish where not only was
> the rice browned in fat to start with but it was made in a skillet with
> no lid. You added broth to it as it cooked, stirring all the while. I
> only made it once as nobody else liked it. I did. But it wasn't
> called pilaf.

I have fried raw rice in a pan when making Spanish rice. I was never
able to make an acceptable Spanish rice though. Mostly, people learn
this odd technique from making that San Francisco treat - Rice-A-Roni.