Rice is one of the most popular foods in Mexico. Mexicans constantly use it in their daily diet, to prepare from savory dishes to desserts and drinks.
You can find this staple food in dishes like vegetable pudding, red rice, tamales, atoles, cakes, arroz con leche; and beverages as horchata.
This grain was brought to Mexico by the Spaniards in the 15th century.
During this colonization, the Spanish introduced their dishes and produce to Mexican indigenous culture, and that included rice, of course.
Then Mexicans combined all these new ingredients with their native flavors and created what today is their gastronomy heritage.
Mexican flavors are well recognized all over the world. You cannot get confused when eating a Mexican dish. Although this food has a very distinctive and strong taste, they are easy to cook. This simplicity can make you think about replicating some of them at home.
You can start by cooking the popular Mexican or red rice, or even make something easier and sugary like a creamy Arroz con Leche (Spanish for “milked rice”).
Arroz con Leche: a dessert or breakfast dish?
Arroz con Leche is a popular dessert in Mexico. It is a sweet rice dish cooked in milk and flavored with cinnamon and lemon zest.
There are several variations of this famous dessert not only in the world but in Mexico itself. Every house has mastered its recipes and creates unique Arroz con Leche recipes.
This delightful dessert can suit all tastes. Some people prefer to eat Arroz con Leche hot, freshly cooked, others very cold, almost frozen. Some people enjoy it as a dessert, while others decide to start the day with this sugary dish as breakfast.
Whichever you decide to eat Arroz con Leche, this dish offers you a unique eating experience each time. Its sweet flavor makes it perfect for pairing with a huge amount of ingredients.
Depending on your preferences, you can add different toppings to Arroz con Leche like honey, raisins, nutmeg, ground cinnamon, coconut and lemon or orange zest.
It also goes perfectly with fruits like strawberries, blueberries, peaches; and even with chocolate chunks.
The variations of this popular dessert are countless.
The basic ingredients include rice, milk, sugar, and flavorings, but some recipes use condensed milk, evaporated milk, artificial sweetener, brown sugar, cacao and other flavorings.
Cooking the most delicious Arroz con Leche
But before daring with different ingredients, try first this easy traditional Arroz con Leche recipe https://mahatmarice.com/recipes/traditional-mexican-rice/
There are as many recipes as there are people in the world. You can try some of them and choose your favorite one.
Once you have mastered it, you can play with its texture and levels of sugar. Then, you will find yourself daring with different ingredients and create your own and delicious Arroz con Leche.
One popular variation uses condensed milk, this dish results in a rich and creamy dessert.
Arroz con Leche with condensed milk
Servings: 4 Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 cups of water.
- 1/2 cup of long-grain white rice.
- 1 cinnamon stick.
- 1 tablespoon of lemon zest.
- 1 can of sweetened condensed milk.
Preparation:
- In a saucepan, pour water, rice, cinnamon sticks, and lemon zest.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
- Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
- Add condensed milk and stir very well.
- Cook in low heat for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cinnamon stick.
- Let it stand.
- Serve on individual plates and add the toppings of preference.
The secret to making a delicious Arroz con Leche is to use the right ingredients, stirring constantly, and cook it very slowly.