I am an avid watcher of Beat Bobby Flay, a cooking competition show on The Food Network. Bobby seems to always win when he breaks out his crispy rice to pair with whatever entree he is cooking. Crispy rice is a side I had never made before, but just had to try.
That’s part of home cooking, right? Trying things we’ve never tried before!
Cilantro and lime pair so well with this crispy rice recipe that you will want to make it regularly. It can go on the side of so many different entree options and your kids will love it.
I have to be honest. Given I had never made this before, and seldom use my cast iron pan, I ended up with a little whoopsie when the rice went into the pan. It was almost like popcorn as some of the rice started popping out of the pan! Keep this in mind when you’re making crispy rice. That pan is dang hot and the rice won’t like transforming to crispy rice!
“Wait, you’re using 90-second instant rice to make crispy rice?”
Yes I am, and I’m proud of it! The beauty of the recipe is the crispy rice, not taking more time than necessary to make the rice and cook it perfectly. As a busy parent, sometimes we have to take shortcuts, and this is a quick one that allowed me to cook the rice the night before and still have time to help with homework.
Cilantro Lime Crispy Rice
Ingredients
- 2 bags of original Ben's 90 second Long Grain White Rice
- 1/3 cup sliced green onion
- 1 lime
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
The Night Before:
- Cook the 2 bags of Ben's Original 90 second Long Grain White Rice as instructed
- Placed the cook rice in a medium bowl
- Add about 1/4 cup of the sliced green onion to the rice
- Squeeze the juice from half the lime into the rice
- Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the rice and stir
- Place in the refrigerator overnight to dry out the rice (this will help it make more crispy)
The day of cooking:
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat
- Once olive oil starts to shimmer, put 1 teaspoon minced garlic in the skillet
- Cook for about 30 seconds
- Add the rice to the cast iron skillet (be careful, the rice likes to hop out from the heat!)
- Press the rice down firmly with a flat spatula
- Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes or until brown and crispy (almost dark brown)
- Flip all of the rice in the skillet and press down firmly again
- Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes
- Scoop the rice into a bowl
- Add the remaining sliced green onion to the rice
- Squeeze the other half of the lime into the rice
- Top with 1/3 cup cilantro and serve
Notes
Did You Know
Is rice healthy? Rice is a staple food in many cultures around the world, and it has been a dietary staple for thousands of years. However, there is some debate over whether rice is healthy or not. On one hand, rice is a good source of carbohydrates, which are an important source of energy for the body. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which is used by the body to fuel various functions, such as muscle movement and brain activity. Rice is also low in fat, which makes it a good choice for people who are trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.
However, rice is also high in calories, which can be a problem for people who are trying to lose weight. One cup of cooked rice contains about 200 calories, which is a significant amount of calories for a single serving of food. Additionally, rice is low in protein, which can be a problem for people who are trying to build muscle or maintain a healthy weight. Rice is still considered to be a healthy food choice by many nutrition experts. For example, the World Health Organization recommends that people consume at least 50% of their daily calories from carbohydrates, and rice is a good source of these essential nutrients. Additionally, rice is a good source of vitamins and minerals, such as thiamin, niacin, and magnesium, which are important for overall health. 