Sephardic Rice
a.k.a. "Pink Rice" from the Jews of Rhodes

My Sephardic Rice is a true comfort food. It is an easy rice recipe that was the first dish my mother taught me to cook. Rice is a staple in the Middle East, and especially favored by the the Greek Jews of Rhodes, from where I proudly hail.

1 cup long grained white rice, washed

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon oil

2 cups water

1 tablespoon ketchup

2 teaspoons salt

1. In a medium pot with a tight fitting lid, heat oil, rice and onion over medium high heat. Stir to coat rice with oil and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often until rice and onion are translucent.

2. Add water, ketchup and salt. Stir once, lower heat and cover. Cook without peeking for 20 minutes. Uncover, fluff rice with a fork and let sit 5 minutes with the lid on slightly ajar to allow steam to escape.

Serve Sephardic Rice with this okra recipe from the Jews of Rhodes.