Mexican spreads are fun crowd-pleasers and are easy enough for a yummy weeknight dinner. There are a few components but they are super easy. The Mexican inspired dirty rice is made with just a few pantry staples, the spices make the rice smokey and full of flavour and is paired with a fresh cherry tomato salad, slaw, and sweet chilli prawns.
This Week
9 Dec - 15 Dec
Meal Prep Guide
Finely slice ¼ of 1 red cabbage. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.* You’ll also be slicing the other half of the cabbage for the summer rolls so you can cut this at the same time, just store in separate containers or remember not to use it all!
Dirty rice spice mix Store in an airtight container in the pantry.
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
Tips
Tips
- This recipe uses one red onion but is used in two different components and cut in different ways. ¼ of the red onion is finely sliced for the tomato salad, while the remaining ¾ is used in the dirty rice and is diced.
Shortcuts
Vegetables
- Add extra vegetables to the rice. Dice 1 red capsicum and 1 zucchini cooked at the same time as the onion. Then follow the recipe as per instructions.
- Swap cabbage for iceberg or cos for extra freshness
Protein
- Swap prawns for chicken breast (400 – 500g). Simply slice and cook as you would the prawns, note cooking time will be longer. Remove the chicken from the heat once the chicken is cooked through and golden brown.
- Swap prawns for mince (500g).
- Add 2 Tbsp oil to a large pan over medium heat add the onion and season with salt. Cook for 5 minutes until the onion has softened.
- Add mince and cook until browned and excess liquid has evaporated and mince is starting to get crispy. Approx 5- 10 minutes.
- Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 2 Tbsp paprika, 1 Tbsp ground cumin and 1 Tbsp ground coriander and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the corn, rice and beans, stir well to coat in the onion spice mix and cook for 5 – 7 minutes.
Other
- Use the avocado to make guac, simply mash avocado with the back of a fork, squeeze over the juice of one lime, drizzle of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and optional chilli flakes. Serve alongside your favourite corn chips.
Ingredients
Dirty rice
- ½ cup white rice
- ¾ red onion (diced)
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup frozen corn (defrosted)
- 4 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
- Salt and pepper
Red cabbage Slaw
- ¼ red cabbage (finely sliced)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ lemon (juice)
- Olive oil
Tomato red onion salad
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes (cut into halves)
- ¼ red onion (finely sliced)
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Spicy yoghurt sauce
- ½ cup greek or plain yoghurt
- 2 tsp smoked paprika + ½ tsp chilli flakes or 2 tsp chipotle
- ½ lemon (juice)
- 1 Tbsp sriracha (optional)
Spiced prawns
- 500g prawn cutlets
- 4 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chili flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper
- 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 Tbsp coriander (roughly chopped)
Serve with
- ⅓ cup coriander
- 1 avocado
- Lime wedges
- Jalapeños (optional)
Method
Dirty rice
- Cook the rice using the absorption method. Place ½ cup of rice, 3/4 cup of water and a pinch of salt into a medium saucepan. Bring to the simmer without the lid. Just before it comes to a boil, place the lid on the saucepan and turn down to medium-low heat and cook for 12 minutes. (while the rice is cooking move onto your slaw, tomato salad and spicy yoghurt sauce). Once all the water has been absorbed and rice is cooked, spread the rice evenly across onto a large tray to cool.
- While rice is cooling add 2 Tbsp oil to a large pan over medium heat add the onion and season with salt. Cook for 5 minutes until the onion has softened.
- Add spices (paprika, cumin and coriander) and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add 1 Tbsp of oil and the corn, cook until the corn is charred and starts to ‘pop.’
- Add 1 Tbsp of oil, rice and beans, stir well to coat in the onion spice mix and cook for 5 – 7 minutes.
Red cabbage slaw
- In a medium bowl add red cabbages and season with salt.
- Let the cabbage sit until it starts to release water (8–10 minutes).
- Pour off all excess liquid and add lemon juice and oil; toss to coat. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Set aside till you’re ready to serve.
Spicy yoghurt sauce
- In a small bowl add all of the sauce ingredients (yogurt, paprika, chilli, lime and optional sriracha) mix until well incorporated and set aside till you’re ready to serve.
Tomato salad
- In a small bowl add the tomato halves, onion slices, red wine vinegar, and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and give the salad a toss, set aside till you’re ready to serve.
Prawns
- Pat the defrosted prawns dry.
- In a medium bowl add the sweet chilli, garlic, paprika, chilli flakes and prawns. Toss well and season with salt and pepper.
- Add oil to a large pan over a medium-high heat.
- Once the pan is hot add the prawns; cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the prawns have turned pink and starting to char in some places.
- Once cooked, remove to a plate or bowl and sprinkle with coriander.
Assemble your bowl
- Fill your bowl up with the rice, tomatoes and slaw, top with spiced yoghurt sauce, avocado, fresh coriander and optional jalapeños and crunch corn chips.
Variations
Vegetables
- Add extra vegetables to the rice. Dice 1 red capsicum and 1 zucchini cooked at the same time as the onion. Then follow the recipe as per instructions.
- Swap cabbage for iceberg or cos for extra freshness
Protein
- Swap prawns for chicken breast (400 – 500g). Simply slice and cook as you would the prawns, note cooking time will be longer. Remove the chicken from the heat once the chicken is cooked through and golden brown.
- Swap prawns for mince (500g).
- Add 2 Tbsp oil to a large pan over medium heat add the onion and season with salt. Cook for 5 minutes until the onion has softened.
- Add mince and cook until browned and excess liquid has evaporated and mince is starting to get crispy. Approx 5- 10 minutes.
- Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 2 Tbsp paprika, 1 Tbsp ground cumin and 1 Tbsp ground coriander and cook for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the corn, rice and beans, stir well to coat in the onion spice mix and cook for 5 – 7 minutes.
Other
- Use the avocado to make guac, simply mash avocado with the back of a fork, squeeze over the juice of one lime, drizzle of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and optional chilli flakes. Serve alongside your favourite corn chips.
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