Cilantro Rice
Posted by Aggies Kitchen on July 16th, 2009. Filed under: Aggie's Kitchen Original, Healthy Meals, Main Dishes - Rice.
I prepared this Cilantro Rice the other day to serve alongside our Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon with Tropical Salsa. It was a perfect side dish. The cilantro and green onions really brightened up the rice and added just enough flavor to keep it from being boring. I also included a “secret ingredient”…I crushed up 3 cloves of garlic and threw them in with the dry rice and water during the cooking process. Nothing wrong with a little garlic right?
Recipe from Aggie’s Kitchen
1 cup Basmati rice, uncooked
2 cups cold water
3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of your knife
1 tsp olive oil
large handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2-3 green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Combine rice and water in a large microwavable covered dish (I use my Corning Ware). Add a small drizzle of olive oil and crushed garlic to rice. Place in microwave and cook for 18 minutes. Do not take off lid during cooking process. Once it is cooked, fluff rice with a fork and taste for doneness. (If at this time it’s not cooked well enough – it should be – just add a small amount of water and cook for a few more minutes) Toss in chopped cilantro, green onions, salt and pepper.
July 16th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
I agree- pasta is better than rice! But its nice to mix it up. I like the idea of adding garlic in with the cooking rice…garlic is good in almost all dinners hehe. Just gotta make sure the husband eats it too
July 16th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I really like the cilantro you used here
My garden cilantro is growing at an uncontrolled rate, so this would be a great way to use it up 
Thanks for sharinG!
July 16th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
This is perfect with the salmon. You are right…basmati is so much better!
July 16th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
We make a cilantro lime rice that we love! Great side dish.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
I grew up eating rice at almost every meal so I'm a rice lover! Not so say that I dont also love bread and every other carb
I love cilantro with rice! Looks delicious.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
This looks so good. I make one that is very similar but I use Jasmine rice which has a flavor all its own. Thanks for sharing this with us.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Well, I am a total rice fanatic. I make it all the time. There are so many different kinds of rice that are so flavorful and texturally different – long grain basmati is my favorite.
Though, I am not a fan of ruining delicious rice with evil cilantro
July 16th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
This looks so refreshing! I often make rice in my rice cooker and love the sticky texture of it. But otherwise, I'm more of a pasta fan too. I choose it over rice pilaf, risotto, or other random rice dishes any day.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Ooh… forgot to mention, I have a small container of baby basmati, which is really good!
July 16th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Love rice so I'm definitely going to try this.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
We have rice every week. It's so good and convenient. What a great idea to add cilantro. I love it.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
I have to admit that I love all my white starches, rice, pasta, bread, pretty much equally. Although I do particularly enough basmati. I also love cilantro, I'm definitely going to have to try this!
July 16th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Great refreshing dish Aggie.
July 16th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
YUM! I've never tried basmati rice before but MUST so I can use this recipe – thanks!
July 17th, 2009 at 2:05 am
Oh yummy! I love anything with cilantro in it, I want to gobble this up!
July 17th, 2009 at 3:30 am
Mmmm I love Basmati! And garlic makes everything better
I can't use my cilantro fast enough so this is a great recipe to have.
July 17th, 2009 at 4:18 am
Wow! The rice itself looked good without the salmon.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:28 am
I love cilantro rice. I always add a bit of fresh lime juice to it to give it a nice zing.
I also adore basmati too! Seems like it's a more forgiving rice, for those who don't make it on a regular basis.
July 17th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Mmmm. Cilantro Rice? I bet that tastes better than Chipotle's version !
July 17th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
What a great idea to jazz up the usual side of rice, I love it! Gorgeous photo too.
July 17th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
What a yummy way to give boring rice a great flavor
July 18th, 2009 at 10:31 am
This looks delicious! We eat pasta here more often than rice also!
July 18th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
Thanks for stopping by my blog – your blog is pretty fantastic too!
LOVE basamati rice and your cilantro version with the cedar plank salmon looks awesome!
July 19th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
This rice seems to be packed with flavors!
July 27th, 2009 at 2:28 am
I made this tonight for dinner – SO good! I don't think I used enough green onion/cilantro -but there will be a next time for sure!
August 11th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
I love rice and cilantro so this is perfect for me. Your recipes and photos are incredible. Love your blog!