From the Caribbean to your dining room: Coconut rice
As many variants as it may have, coconut rice is a perfect side dish for those times when you are craving a meal full of flavor, whether you are craving something sweet or salty.
This easy coconut rice recipe will not disappoint, your guests, friends, and taste buds will appreciate it.
As a dish with many backgrounds and preparations, coconut rice is commonly known as an Asian dish, yet it can also be found in South American and African cultures, therefore you can find many recipes with different ingredients and flavors.
The following recipe gives you a simple and time-friendly option, so you can prepare and enjoy your coconut rice in no time. All you need is your jasmine rice, coconut milk, spices, and vegetables to garnish it; finally, in case you are wondering, yes, it is rice cooker friendly.
Coconut rice is a simple dish made of rice and coconut milk, or in some cases coconut flakes. You can mostly find this dish on the coasts of many countries, as rice and coconut are usually cultivated in these areas; therefore, making it a common factor from southeast Asia to the Caribbean. And it is commonly served alongside fish.
Coconut rice origins
In case you are curious about how this strange, yet perfect combination came together, its origins are found in Southeast Asia where white rice was boiled with coconut milk and coconut flakes, and then taken into the pacific, later thanks to commerce it found its way into the African continent, to then be finally introduced into Latin America.
In Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai, Indian, and Sri Lankan gastronomy coconut milk is very important. For making this dish, depending on the area, you can add spices, and fruits in case you want to eat it as a dessert. It is normally eaten with fish or seafood.
On the other hand, this combination was found on Venezuelan, Colombian, and Puerto Rican coasts; countries where you can find Afro-descendant influence.
In Colombia and Puerto Rico, this dish can be prepared as a side dish, or as a dessert by simply adding sugar or cane sugar, with some fruit like raisins and some vanilla, rum, ginger, and other spices. In Venezuela, is mostly eaten as a dessert.
You can find more recipes and interesting information on the different types of coconut rice through the following link https://mahatmarice.com/recipes/easy-coconut-rice/
Which to choose Jasmine Rice
This dish has a long and very interesting background, but it is also highly nutritious as coconut milk is highly saturated fat, which is easier for the body to metabolize, this ingredient gives the dish a unique nutty flavor, in addition to its health benefits. And rice itself is a great source of proteins and carbohydrates, which are the body’s main source of energy.
Coconut rice is known for its great flavor and aroma, but if you want these two characteristics to be even more perceptible to the nose and palate, jasmine rice is a great option for cooking coconut rice, and it will add a great deal of both factors.
Jasmine rice is a long-grained type of rice, its name was given after the jasmine flower that grows in Southeast Asia, the main reason being its aroma and characteristic flavor. This variety of rice is mostly used in Asian recipes for coconut rice.
Tips for cooking coconut rice
Cooking coconut rice is a simple and easy process, but as with any recipe there are some tricks to help you assure the best results throughout this experience:
- Rinse the rice before cooking it, do it until the water is clear enough, this process will remove excess starch from the rice.
- Let it soak for about 15-20 minutes, this will help the rice absorb some water so it’s ready to be cooked, as with this recipe you usually use less liquid than normal.
- Mix coconut milk with some water, coconut milk is very thick, so it isn’t as easy for the rice to absorb when cooking, so to ensure the rice cooks properly add some water to it.
- The best thing is to use less liquid than usual, this way you will prevent the rice from getting a sticky or gooey texture. Let’s remember the ideal texture for this dish is a fluffy one.
This easy coconut rice recipe will become one of your favorites really quickly, you won’t be able to stop preparing it, and once ready you will want to eat more than one serving. Sweet and salty coconut rice are not very different, it will only change depending on whether you add sugar or salt.
Cooking this rice is not too different from cooking regular white rice either, you just replace water with coconut milk. Here is the easy coconut rice recipe you were waiting for.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of jasmine rice, or any long-grained variant.
- 1 ½ cups of coconut milk.
- ¼ cup of extra coconut milk for the end of the recipe.
- Salt.
- Vegetable oil.
- 1 tablespoon of sugar, optional.
Preparation
- Add the rice, coconut milk, salt, and oil to a pot. If you want the result to be sweet, you can add sugar.
- Put it on high heat. Let it boil and when the water has dried put the heat at a low level and cook for 15 minutes.
- Once the 15 minutes have gone by, add the extra coconut milk, mix, and turn off the heat. Leave it to rest and it’s ready to eat!
You can enjoy this dish with fish, curry chicken, Thai food, or any other Asian food you like!
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