Rice with Toasted Angel Hair Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups Mahatma® White Rice
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup angel hair pasta broken into pieces
- 1/4 cup white onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- 4 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice optional
- 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
Instructions
Similar to a rice pilaf, this Rice with Toasted Angel Hair Pasta or arroz con fideos, is a show-stopper side dish that pairs well with poultry and meat. This recipe was created by Chef Pati Jinich with Mahatma® Long Grain White Rice.
Step 1
Soak rice in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Heat oil over medium heat in a pot. Add angel hair pasta and fry for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly until browned.
Step 2
Add rice, cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chopped onion and garlic, stir and cook for 2 more minutes. Pour water or broth and season with salt and lime juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes.
Step 3
Remove from heat and keep covered for at least 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
The Origins of Arroz con Fideos
If you want to continue discovering traditional recipes from Latin America, then you should definitely give this Arroz con Fideos a try. Consisting of long grain white rice and carefully toasted pasta, this side dish is packed with flavor and pairs well with many different foods.
While there’s a lot of debate surrounding the origins of this recipe, it is a staple on family tables from the Dominican Republic to Mexico and all the way to Colombia. However, some people would argue that this is an ancient Egyptian preparation, known as bil shareyah – which translates to rice and fried noodles. It is also popular in Lebanese cuisine, where it’s called Riiz Bi Sh’arieh.
In Peruvian cuisine, there’s a classic rice pilaf inspired dish made with rice and vermicelli pasta. It is traditionally enjoyed during the holiday season and hence it’s known as Christmas Arab Rice. This recipe layers raisins, chopped toasted almonds and fresh mint leaves too.
Recipe Tips
One of the secrets to nailing this recipe every time is to properly fry the noodles in just the right amount of cooking fat. You can either use oil, butter or ghee. Stirring constantly will help prevent the pasta from burning.
Although this recipe calls for angel hair pasta, you can also use fideos, thin spaghetti or vermicelli broken into pieces.
Cook rice and pasta in broth or seasoned water until all liquid has been absorbed to boost the flavors. You can also add fresh chopped parsley for an aromatic touch right before serving – otherwise, the leaves will wilt.
Other Meal Inspiration
If you are looking for something with more of a Latin American flavor, check out these tacos beans and rice.
