Red Pozole with Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups Mahatma® White Rice
- 2 dried ancho chili peppers
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs pork shoulder, cut into large chunks
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cans (each 15 oz) hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup lime juice
- 3 ripe avocadoes, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup pickled red onions
- 12 radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 3 limes, cut into wedges
Instructions
Warm yourself up with this tasty and traditional Mexican stew made with hominy, pork shoulder, and fluffy white rice.
Step 1
Toast ancho chilies in cast iron skillet for about 5-7 minutes or until fragrant and aromatic.
Step 2
Add toasted chilies to a small saucepan and cover with 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until chilies are soft and tender; drain and reserve cooking liquid. Cool slightly. Add chilies and 1 cup cooking liquid to blender and puree until smooth; set aside.
Step 3
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan set over medium heat. Brown pork shoulder in batches until golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes; set aside in a bowl. Add onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, Bay leaves, salt, and pepper and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until onions are tender. Stir in broth, pork, and chili puree and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours or until pork is very tender.
Step 4
Meanwhile, prepare rice according to package directions.
Step 5
Remove pork and shred with 2 forks. Stir hominy into broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook at a simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 6
Stir in shredded pork. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until heated through. Stir in lime juice.
Step 7
Divide rice among 12 shallow bowls. Top with the pozole and garnish with avocado, pickled red onions, radishes and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
Cooking Tip
To pickle red onion: Toss together 1 sliced red onion, 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes or until lightly pickled.
Hearty Mexican Stew
If you’re a lover of Mexican cuisine, especially the dishes with a bit of heat, you’ll love this easy and flavorful Red Pozole with Rice. This hearty stew is perfect for lunch or dinner and because it’s loaded with hominy, pork shoulder, and Mahatma® White Rice, you can enjoy it as a main dish without worrying that you will be hungry soon after. A comforting meal on a chilly day, you’ll love the slightly spicy flavor paired with creamy avocado, tangy lime juice, and tart radishes. For other warm comfort food recipes for chilly fall and winter days, try tacos dorados or this White Bean, Rice and Chorizo Casserole and this Crockpot Chicken and Rice. Or this Arroz con leche for a sweet treat.
What is Pozole?
What is pozole, you ask? Pozole is a traditional Mexican soup or stew whose main ingredient is hominy and depending on preference, is also made with pork or chicken and is usually seasoned and garnished with onion, chili peppers, shredded lettuce or cabbage, radishes, avocado, and limes.
It comes in three varieties, rojo (red), verde (green), and blanco (white). The differences are that the broths are different flavors and colors because they are either flavored with red salsa, green salsa, or no salsa is added. While a green salsa is typically made of tomatillos, epazote, cilantro, jalapeños, and/or pepitas, a red salsa tends to be made of one or more chiles, such as guajillo, piquin, or ancho making red pozole the spicier of the three. Pozole blanco is made without salsa so it’s a great option for those who do not like spicy foods.
Ingredient Substitutions
Substitute dried ancho chilies with New Mexican dried chilies. Add 2 to 3 spicy chiles de árbol to sauce if desired.
