Mexican Rice

Method

1. prep5 min
   cold water until it runs clear
   rinse the rice, then drain it hard and spread it out — loose surface starch is what glues grains together, and wet rice steams instead of frying in the next step
2. mix2 min
   blender, high
   tomato + onion + garlic, blended smooth; you want about 3/4 cup of purée, which together with the stock gives the 2:1 liquid-to-rice ratio toasted rice needs
3. fry7 min
   medium, stirring constantly
   oil + drained rice, until the grains turn chalky white with scattered gold — the fat coats and the exterior starch sets, which is the entire reason the finished rice is separate rather than a mass
4. reduce4 min
   medium-high
   + tomato purée + tomato paste, cooking until it darkens and stops smelling green; raw tomato added with the broth never loses that edge because the temperature never gets high enough once liquid is in the pan
5. simmer18 min
   lowest heat, tightly covered, do not stir
   + chicken stock + carrot + salt + cumin (+ slit serrano), brought to a boil then dropped to a bare simmer and lidded — every lift of the lid vents the steam that hydrates the top layer, which is how you end up with crunchy grains above cooked ones
6. rest10 min
   off heat, still covered
   scatter the peas over the surface, re-cover, and leave it alone; residual steam cooks them without turning them grey, and the rest lets moisture equalize from the wet bottom grains to the drier top ones
7. fold1 min
   fork, not spoon
   fluff from the edges inward, folding the carrot and peas up through the rice; a spoon compresses and breaks grains where a fork lifts them apart. Finish with cilantro and lime