Cooking Brazilian Rice

This is part 2 of a series on Brazilian cooking. Several more articles are scheduled for the next two weeks. Part 1 of the series was Cooking Brazilian Beans.

Brazilian Rice

Before going to Brazil I don’t think I would have paired rice and beans together. I mean, sure there was often Spanish rice and re-fried beans on taco night at home, but beans ON rice wouldn’t have crossed my mind. One of the great things about traveling is that you get to experience new things. Beans and rice is one of those experiences you will want to bring back home.

I was taught visually without measurements but these are approximations should turn out well. Modify them to suit your tastes if it doesn’t turn out how you want.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Long grain rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp oil (soy oil is typical in Brazil, canola or other vegetable oil works fine)
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 2 teeth of garlic, crushed or chopped

Instructions

Add the rice, onion, garlic and oil to a wide saucepan and turn the stove to medium heat. Simmer and fry it, stirring frequently until the rice turns white and shiny. At about the same time the onion should be wilted and just barely starting to brown, and the garlic smell should be making you hungry.

Add the water, stir it up once quickly and put a lid on the pan.

Simmer on medium-low until the water is gone. The rice should be soft but not sticky. If it’s too hard add a few tablespoons of water and DO NOT STIR.

Fluff it with a big wooden spoon and serve.

Variations

A popular change is to add vegetables that steam well to the rice while it is cooking (green beans, zucchini, broccoli, chopped carrots, peas). Other changes include adding chicken broth instead of water (or bullion cubes with the water), adding cooked chicken or meat to the rice before or after cooking, or using the rice in fried rice or stir-fry. Enjoy!