Lime-Cilantro Rice

This rice dish was an attempt to copy a similar fare that we had from a Mexican restaurant several months ago. It didn't turn out exactly the same, but I always love to experiment and make adjustments to recipes, trying to find that perfect "taste" that my family would like.

Not to say that this dish was a failure - nope. It was delicious. Different, but delicious.

Lately, I have been utilizing my herb garden a lot and making dishes based on what I harvest (and I use that term loosely). This is why I love Spring - it marks the end of frosty days, and I see my plants come back to life. I am pretty excited because there were several sprouts from the pepper plant that hubby started several weeks ago. That was actually the third attempt at growing peppers - twice, we put them in small pots and tried to grow them meticulously but nothing appeared. I thought the seeds were bad, and just before throwing in the towel, hubby tossed the seeds in the pot where my tomatoes used to be. After a few weeks, I saw some slivers of green, and was very happy about it. Still am, actually. I just wish the birds would leave them alone - they seem to enjoy picking at the baby pepper sprouts. Aaargh!

Anyway, back to the dish.  I didn't include the meat recipe - I can't seem to find the paper I wrote the recipe on. :-( But the rice was awesome! And easy to make too! Try it!


What you need: 

1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 1/2 cup water
dash of salt
juice of 1 small lime (or about 2 tablespoons)


What to do: 

Rice cooker method: Place everything in your rice cooker and cook according to manufacturer's instructions. Easy.

Stove top method: In a saucepan, heat oil over low heat. Add uncooked rice and lime juice. Stir. Add water and salt, bring to a full boil.

Cover the pot, turn down to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Using all the juice of one lime might be too tangy. Adjust according to taste.
2. You can also include the zest of the lime for added depth.
3. Instead of water, use chicken stock!