Green Rice with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

  • Prep 20 min
  • Total 40 min
  • Servings 10

Ingredients

Pumpkin Seeds

  • 1/3 cup raw unsalted hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), pine nuts or slivered almonds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Rice

  • 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro (stems and leaves)
  • 1/2 cup tightly packed fresh parsley (stems and leaves)
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
  • 1 small onion, chopped (1/3 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeño chile, seeded
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 3/4 cups water
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked regular long-grain rice

Steps

  • 1
    In 8-inch skillet, heat pumpkin seeds and 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until seeds are lightly toasted. (Watch carefully—they can burn quickly.) Use slotted spoon to remove pumpkin seeds from pan and cool on paper towel-lined plate.
  • 2
    In food processor or blender, puree cilantro, parsley, bell pepper, onion, garlic, chile, salt, cumin and water until smooth; set aside.
  • 3
    In 3-quart saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat until hot. Add rice and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly translucent around edges. Add pureed liquid and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with fork and stir in pumpkin seeds. Serve hot.

  • Why it Works: Separate Rice is Nice All rice begins its life surrounded by a thin coating called bran. When milled, this outer layer is removed to expose the raw grain. To improve appearance, most rice in the United States is polished using a series of wire brushes or spinning drums. Although this process results in a beautiful, stark white grain, it also causes a thin layer of rice starch to accumulate on the surface. When rice is cooked, this outer starch layer mixes with water and causes the grains of rice to stick together. If you’d rather your rice grains were separate and fluffy, you have several options. You can wash the rice to remove residual starch, but this takes time. The best technique is to first cook the rice in hot oil. Coating every grain, the oil forms a nonstick coating resulting in fluffy rice every time.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
210
Calories from Fat
80
Total Fat
9g
14%
Saturated Fat
1 1/2g
7%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
0mg
0%
Sodium
360mg
15%
Potassium
150mg
4%
Total Carbohydrate
27g
9%
Dietary Fiber
1g
4%
Sugars
0g
Protein
5g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
8%
8%
Vitamin C
15%
15%
Calcium
2%
2%
Iron
15%
15%
Exchanges:
1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 1 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
© 2024 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved