Cilantro Lime Rice
Cilantro lime rice relies on the timing of your additions; if you add the lime and cilantro while the rice is still scorching hot, the herbs wilt into a gray mush and the lime juice turns bitter. The goal is to fluff the rice into a wide bowl once it's cooked, letting it steam off for two minutes before folding in fresh, cool ingredients to keep the flavor bright and the grains separate.
Watch your moisture levels.
Use long-grain white rice like Basmati or Jasmine for the best texture; short-grain rice will turn into a sticky clump once you add the lime juice.
- heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid
- fork
- wide mixing bowl
What goes in.
- 1 cuplong-grain white rice
- 1 1/2 cupswater
- 1 tbspneutral oil
- 1/2 cupfresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 tbspfresh lime juice
- 1/2 tspkosher salt
Temperature Control
Never stir lime juice into boiling rice. Move the cooked rice to a wide surface area immediately, wait for the steam to slow, then finish it.
The method.
Rinse the rice
Place the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and run cold water over it until the water flows clear. This removes surface starch that causes clumping.
Steam the rice
Bring the water, oil, and salt to a boil in your pot. Add the rice, stir once, then drop the heat to the lowest setting. Cover and simmer for 18 minutes without lifting the lid.
Rest
Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, still covered, for 5 minutes. The residual heat finishes the cooking process.
Finish
Transfer the rice to a wide bowl. Fluff with a fork to break up any steam pockets. Once the rice stops steaming aggressively, drizzle with lime juice and fold in the cilantro.
Other turns to take.
Zesty Garlic
Sauté one minced garlic clove in the oil before adding the water and rice to the pot.
Toasted Coconut
Replace 1/4 cup of the water with canned coconut milk for a richer result.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a fork, not a spoon, to fluff the rice to avoid crushing the grains.
If you have a microplane, add a teaspoon of lime zest along with the juice for a deeper citrus aroma.
Taste the rice before adding the salt; adjust based on the type of bouillon or water you used.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use brown rice?
You can, but it requires significantly more water and a longer cooking time; adjust the recipe to follow the package instructions for your specific brown rice variety.
Why is my rice gummy?
Usually, this means too much water was used or the rice was stirred while simmering, which releases excess starch.
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