Verde Azzor

Mexican green rice with roasted poblano peppers, cumin, scallions, and a generous finish of fresh cilantro. The rice gets toasted in olive oil until opaque before any liquid goes in, which is the foundation of arroz verde technique.

Toasting the rice first in a hot wok changes everything. Two minutes of stirring in oil seals the exterior of each grain, which prevents them from absorbing too much liquid and turning sticky. The toasted grains cook up fluffy with distinct, separate texture.

Roasted poblano peppers give this rice its “verde” character. Charring, peeling, and seeding the poblanos concentrates their mild, smoky-sweet flavor. They’re chopped and stirred in with the onions and garlic before the broth goes in.

The two-stage cooking (stovetop simmer then oven bake) ensures even cooking without stirring, which would break the grains. Fifteen minutes covered on the stove gets the rice almost tender, then 15 uncovered minutes in the oven finishes it and evaporates excess moisture.

Chef Tips

• Toast the rice until it turns fully opaque and smells nutty. Translucent grains haven’t been toasted long enough.
• Don’t peek or stir during the covered simmer. Steam does the work.
• The oven finishing step is what makes the bottom grains as fluffy as the top ones.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro right before serving for the freshest flavor and brightest green color.

Variations

• Cilantro lime rice: Add the juice of one lime when the rice comes out of the oven for a brighter, more acidic finish.
• With corn: Stir in ½ cup fresh corn kernels during the last 5 minutes of baking.
• Spicy green rice: Add a seeded jalapeño with the poblanos for more heat.