"dsi1" > wrote in message
...
> 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.
I grew up eating that stuff and it was no treat! Then I remember getting my
first apartment and time and time again buying their Spanish or Mexican or
whatever they called it rice when it was on sale. It was awful. But I kept
trying because people kept telling me that I must be making it wrong. No.
It's just awful and not a thing like the real thing.
Oddly enough, my husband who is not a fan of rice or pasta will eat
Rice-A-Roni and likes it.