I'm going to eat something comforting tonight. Sopa de arroz is just soupy Mexican rice. It's warm, cheap, and full. Last night, I boiled a chicken and used the broth to make this meal. In the past, I've given you more detailed directions.
I've eaten this rice for as long as I can remember. My dad liked his Mexican rice dry, but I've always liked it really soupy. So, my mom would make it with more stock and put all the tasty broth in a bowl just for me. For my dad, she would leave the pot of rice a little more dry. Everyone had a good time.
I've always been thankful that I grew up in a Mexican home where I could learn the language, culture, and food but was also fully involved in the American way of life. I don't have any trouble switching from one language to the other, and I feel at home in both cultures and places.
Because I called a food by a name they didn't like, someone said that I was spreading false information and taking something from the Mexican culture. I thought it was funny that they said this Mexican who spoke Spanish was taking something from another culture. Aside from not getting that foods have different names in different parts of the world, food just isn't that important. We don't have to say sorry about making any food we want. We can change it to fit our food needs, our budgets, our tastes, or anything else we want. We can even make food from any country without worrying about being judged. That's why cooking is so much fun! Ok, I'm done with my speech.
Sopa de arroz
I cooked about 1 cup of rice in a couple tablespoons of oil until it was golden brown. I then added onion and bell pepper and cooked for a few more minutes until the onion became a little soft. I added chopped garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin and cooked for another minute. Then I added about 4 cups of fresh chicken broth, chopped tomato, half a small can of tomato sauce, and a little chicken base. Covered and cooked over medium heat until almost all of the rice was done. I turned off the heat and let the rice sit for another 10 minutes with the lid on. Rice will be very soupy, but as it cools, it will continue to soak up water.
ingredients:
1 cup rice
Couple tablespoons oil
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
Minced garlic
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
4 cups fresh chicken broth
1 tomato, cut into pieces
Half a small can of tomato sauce
Chicken base
Method:
Put a few tablespoons of oil in a pan and heat it up.
Add 1 cup of rice and cook it in the pan.
Once the rice is cooked, add the chopped onion and bell pepper to the pan.
Keep cooking for a few minutes until the onion is soft.
Add the garlic that has been chopped, salt, pepper, and cumin to the pan.
Wait one more minute.
About 4 cups of fresh chicken broth should be poured in.
Add the cut tomato, half of a small can of tomato sauce, and a little chicken stock.
Cover the pan and cook the rice over medium heat until it's almost done.
Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for another 10 minutes with the lid on.
At first, the rice will be very soupy, but as it cools, it will continue to soak up water.
