Fideo Mexican Pasta

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Ingredients:

3 cups chicken broth with a hearty flavor
One medium large tomato chopped into large chunks
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of salt depending on your taste

2 tbls corn oil
1 1/2 cup of rice.  Not minute rice or converted rice
One quarter of a medium size onion chopped length-wise into thin chunks
1/4 of a green pepper
1/4 bunch of cilantro thick stems removed and coarsly chopped
4 or 5 whole chile serrano (serrano peppers)

Procedure:

Place the first five ingredients into a blender and liquify.

Place the oil into an already hot sauce pan under medium fire, then add the onions and stir until the onion changes color.  In Mexico the would say until the onion turns blond.

Add in the rice and stir.  You want the rice to brown.  Don't burn it.

When the rice is done add the ingredients in the blender.  It will be kind of a violent addition.  Stir just a bit to get the liguid all around the rice.  Toss in on top of all this the cilantro, green pepper, and the chile serrano.

Cover with a good fitting lid.

When this comes to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the rice is done, about 20 minutes.  Don't touch it during this time. If you poke or move the rice around.  That will cause the rice break down and get sticky and strachy.

Let sit for about 10 minutes to relax before serving.

Becareful with the chile serrano. These will be very picoso (hot flavored).  If everything goes well, the chile will not break open during the cooking.  If it breakes open durring cooking, they will add a hotness to the rice.  Those who like the heat can smash the chile serrano on their plate and mix it into their rice.

--- Lili Gonzalez-Zarle Akron OH