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    Home » Recipes » variety rice (kalanda sadam)

    Vegetarian Mexican Rice

    Published: Nov 3, 2016 · by Nisha

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Mexican Rice - This vegetarian version is simple, easy one pot meal loaded with flavours. A go-to meal when you are crunched for time. If you love one pot meals or rice varieties, this is a must try.

    Mexican Pulav / Pilaf

    Ingredients for Vegetarian Mexican Rice

    This recipe calls for simple and readily available at-home ingredients. You'll need:

    • Long rain rice - The rice will be non sticky and the grains will be separate. Basmati rice and Jasmine rice are the top favourites.
    • Onions, Garlic and lime
    • Tomato paste
    • Vegetarian broth / water - The ratio of the water and rice will differ based on which brand / variety of rice you are using. Please see the instructions on the package to get a properly cooked rice. The recipe card given below is for Basmati rice and usually 1: 1 to 1.5 times rice:water will work for any brand of Basmati rice.
    • Kidney Beans, corns, peas - add all or any based on your taste preference. Corn and kidney beans provide the natural Mexican touch.
    • Jalapeños for the extra bite. Do not miss this!
    • Nuts - completely optional. Our family loves the extra crunch in all rice varieties and we add a mix of nuts in all our rice dishes. The spicy lime peanuts will work wonder in this recipe. Then, adjust the lime juice accordingly.

    How to prepare Vegetarian Mexican Rice

    As I said, this is a one-pot meal that can be done in 15 minutes. Keep adding the ingredients one at a time and cover and cook until the rice is done.

    Notes and Suggestions

    1. If you don't want it to be spicy, deseed the pepper and use it. Otherwise use it as such. You can substitute water with chicken broth, if you use it.
    2. I always prefer a crunch when I have rice. So I usually add some nuts to the dish.
    3. The colour of the tomato decides the final colour of the dish. If the tomatoes are not very ripe, the yield of orange colour will be less. You can add just a little bit of tomato ketchup (without altering the taste) to get the bright orangish colour.
    4. While making rice dishes, try to use a slightly heavy bottomed pan. The heavy pan prevents rice from getting burnt at the bottom. Also soaking the rice for half an hour cooks the rice grains more evenly and quickly.
    5. This rice dish can be stored for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Make sure to cool it completely and then put it in an airtight container.

    Rice dishes in general are popular because it is quite simple and easy to make. If you are looking for easy alternatives, you can try out this dry fruits pilaf loaded with nuts and dry fruits or this simple green bell pepper rice, lemon rice or this easy corn and poblano rice on your busy weeknights.

    Print
    Vegetarian Mexican Rice
    Prep Time
    10 mins
    Cook Time
    15 mins
    Total Time
    25 mins
     

    Mexican Rice - This vegetarian version is simple, easy one pot meal loaded with flavours. A go-to meal when you are crunched for time. If you love one pot meals or rice varieties, this is a must try.

    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: Mexican Rice varieties, Mexican vegetarian dishes
    Servings: 2
    Author: Nisha
    Ingredients
    • 2 tablespoon Butter
    • 2 no's Garlic pods, crushed
    • 1 Medium sized Onions, finely chopped
    • 2 medium Tomato, finely chopped
    • 2 no's Jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
    • 1 Cup Basmati Rice
    • 3 tablespoon Lime juice
    • ¼ Cup cooked beans
    • ¼ Cup Peas
    • Handful Coriander leaves, finely chopped
    • Few roasted Cashews or Peanuts (optional)
    Instructions
    1. Heat butter in a Tawa / pan. Add the onions, peppers and garlic. Sauté them until the onions turn translucent and pink.
    2. Then add the tomato paste, water or broth and cover it and cook on medium flame until the rice is done.

    3. Add the peas, cooked beans, coriander leaves and lime juice. Fluff it gently and mix it.
    4. Top it with the nuts (if using). Serve them warm.
    Recipe Notes
    1. If you don't want it to be spicy, deseed the pepper and use it. Otherwise use it as such. You can substitute water with chicken broth, if you use it.
    2. I always prefer a crunch when I have rice. So I usually add some nuts to the dish.
    3. The colour of the tomato decides the final colour of the dish. If the tomatoes are not very ripe, the yield of orange colour will be less. You can add just a little bit of tomato ketchup (without altering the taste) to get the bright orangish colour.
    4. While making rice dishes, try to use a slightly heavy bottomed pan. The heavy pan prevents rice from getting burnt at the bottom. Also soaking the rice for half an hour cooks the rice grains more evenly and quickly.
    5. This rice dish can be stored for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Make sure to cool it completely and then put it in an airtight container.

    View other "Kalanda Sadam - Variety Rice" recipes

    • Jeera Rice / Jeera Pulav
    • South Indian Lemon Rice - Elumichampazham Sadam
    • Mangai sadam - Variety rice with raw mango
    • Verkadalai Sadam | Peanut Rice

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Priya Suresh says

      November 13, 2016 at 6:15 pm

      My kind of one pot meal, this Mexican pulav rocks.

      Reply
    2. vaishali sabnani says

      November 11, 2016 at 4:24 am

      The rice looks perfectly made..and Mexican is kind of favorite.

      Reply
    3. Harini-Jaya R says

      November 10, 2016 at 3:10 am

      Sounds like Rajma+Chawal with Mexican flavors. So I am positive that my family will love this.

      Reply
    4. Sapana Behl says

      November 08, 2016 at 8:01 pm

      Mexican pilaf cooked on tawa looks so flavorful and inviting.

      Reply
    5. Amara Annapaneni says

      November 07, 2016 at 2:54 pm

      Simple yet delicious pilaf. Love those flavors.

      Reply
    6. Pavani N says

      November 07, 2016 at 2:39 am

      Simple and delicious one pot meal. Looks great Nisha.

      Reply
    7. Ritu Tangri says

      November 06, 2016 at 4:35 pm

      Its going to my daughter's tiffin tomorrow..pakka..she has pilau in her menu for monday 🙂

      Reply
    8. Gayathri Kumar says

      November 04, 2016 at 9:04 am

      That is a nice flavourful one pot meal. Even I do pulaos like this instead of cooking the rice separately..

      Reply
    9. rajani says

      November 04, 2016 at 1:08 am

      Cast iron pans are my favorite as well. Use it almost on an everyday basis. Great choice to make it in tawa

      Reply

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    About Nisha

    Nisha freelances as a food & product photographer/recipe developer & content creator in the F&B space.

    She loves everything about food and their stories! You can find her mostly in the kitchen trying to whip up something or reading culinary anecdotes.

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