Brown rice, onions, and carrots cooked in an brightly seasoned tomato broth, achiote red rice pilaf has the deep color I’ve always dreamed about for Mexican red rice. Praise be to the Mayan gods for giving us achiote (ah-chee-o-tay), a common cooking spice in the Mexican Yucatán peninsula!
Achiote aka annatto brings bright color and unique flavor to this simple rice dish. Orange-red, it comes from the same bright annatto seeds that tint cheddar cheese orange. Give me white cheddar cheese, please, but, for rice, give me the punch of annatto achiote!
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Achiote red rice pilaf details:
- Mexican cooks would definitely start with white rice to make their classic achiote red rice, but I use brown basmati rice.
- Vegetable juice is an easy convenient way to add tomato flavor to rice. I keep cans of V8 juice in the pantry for Robbie’s go-to salad dressing.
- It doesn’t take much achiote to get rice this red-orange color–two teaspoons to a cup of rice. A small block of achiote paste lasts for a long time. I’ve had a package of achiote for more than a year and it’s still as good as when I first opened it.
- Idea: Dress up a side dish of onions and chile strips with a dab of achiote.
- A box of achiote paste lists annatto seeds, vinegar, garlic, salt and “flavorings.” You can make achiote from scratch with the annatto seeds, and spices like cumin and allspice, or go with the convenience of the purchased paste. Look for achiote paste in Mexican grocery stores or well-stocked Latin food aisles in supermarkets. Or order it online through my Amazon link.
- Idea: Serve with Spinach Patties bathed in green tomatillo salsa verde.
I’m liking these achiote-sparked vegetarian dishes from other bloggers:
- Achiote-Rubbed Butternut Squash Tacos from Serious Eats
- Lemon Achiote Grilled Tofu from 101 Cookbooks
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Achiote Red Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown or white rice (see note)
- 2 teaspoons achiote paste
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons avocado or grapeseed oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ¾ cup diced carrots (¼-inch)
- 8 ounces V8 or other vegetable juice
Instructions
- Rinse the rice well. Place in a bowl and cover with water. Let soak 10 minutes. Rinse again. Allow the rice to drain in the strainer.
- Mix the achiote paste in the vegetable broth, pushing with the back of the spoon until the paste is completely dissolved. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan over medium flame. Add the onions and cook and stir a few minutes. Stir in the rinsed rice and diced carrot. Cook, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes, until the rice is coated with oil and turns light golden brown.
- Add the achiote broth and the vegetable juice.
- Bring the rice to a boil, cover, and lower the heat to the lowest setting possible. Cook without stirring, 35 to 45 minutes. (To check if the liquid has been absorbed or not, tilt the pan to the side.) Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- I used brown rice, but Mexican cooks would definitely start with white to make classic red rice. If you use white rice, reduce the vegetable broth to 1 cup.
- Vegetable juice is an easy convenient way to add tomato flavor to rice. I keep cans of V-8 juice in the pantry for Robbie's go-to salad dressing. Knudsen Organic Very Veggie juice is an excellent option.
As always, your recipes inspire me but the photos are icing on the cake. · 23 February, 2015
Thanks Priscilla! · 23 February, 2015
I have got to get me some of that achiote paste. This rice is beautiful and I bet it spicy and extremely tasty!! · 26 February, 2015
MJ –annatto seeds have a nondescript fruity flavor with bright color for sure. A fingertip of achiote is not incendiary at all– let me know how you use it. · 26 February, 2015