Are you looking for an easy side dish recipe? For a tasty treat, try this delicious coconut rice topped with toasted coconut flakes and green onions. It's easy to make in minutes and so flavorful!
Coconut rice is one of the easiest ways to spruce up your next batch of rice. It's so easy; all it takes is replacing parts of the water with coconut milk and adding a teaspoon of salt.
I like to cook mine on the stovetop, but you can also use the handy dandy rice cooker. Either way, it's ready to enjoy in thirty minutes or less!
Ingredient notes
- Long-grain or Jasmine rice works best for this recipe as they're less starchy than short-grain.
- Coconut milk- do NOT use kakang gata or the first extraction, as it's too thick and may result in uneven texture.
- Water- dilutes the coconut milk for better absorption
- Salt- helps balance the rich flavors
Cooking tips
- Coconut milk is creamier and thicker than water, so rinse the rice well before cooking to remove the extra starch. Place in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear.
- After rinsing, drain the rice very well, as extra moisture can affect the texture.
- Use a pot with a tight-fitting lid that is big enough to allow space for the expanding rice.
- For optimum texture, let the rice rest after cooking for 10 minutes before fluffing.
After the rice is cooked and rested and it's tender and pearly white, fluff it up with a fork and toss in a handful of chopped green onions for a touch of color and freshness and toasted coconut flakes for extra aroma and crunch. Check out the suggestions below on how to kick up the flavor.
Add-in suggestions
- Drop a knotted pandan leaf into the pot to infuse the rice with a sweet, floral scent and nutty taste during cooking. Remove the leaf when ready to serve.
- Replace the water with coconut juice for a more intense coconut flavor.
- Other than toasted coconut, you can also garnish the cooked rice with cashews, almond slivers, or crushed peanuts before serving.
- Spritz lemon juice over the rice for a refreshing touch of citrus.
- Toss in diced fresh pineapples to add a fruity sweetness.
- Stir in curry powder to add a warm, piquant flavor.
How to serve and store
- Coconut rice is the perfect side dish for your favorite South Asian, Caribbean, and Hawaiian entrees. It's great paired with rich curries and grilled meat, chicken, or seafood.
- Store leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, place the rice on a microwave-safe plate, cover it with a wet paper towel, and heat on HIGH in the microwave at 1 to 2-minute intervals until thoroughly heated.
More rice dishes
Ingredients
- ยผ cup desiccated coconut, unsweetened
- 2 cups Jasmine rice
- 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- green onions, chopped
Instructions
- In a pan over medium heat, add coconut flakes. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned and aromatic. Immediately remove from pan and set aside.
- Under running water, rinse the rice a few times until water runs clear. Drain well.
- In a pot with a tight-fitting lid, combine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt. Stir gently to disperse.
- Over medium heat, bring to a boil uncovered. Lower heat, cover, and continue to cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
- Let sit, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
- With a fork, gently fluff rice and transfer to a serving platter. Top with green onions and toasted coconut. Serve hot.
Notes
- Coconut milk is creamier and thicker than water, so rinse the rice well before cooking to remove the extra starch. Place in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear.
- After rinsing, drain the rice very well, as extra moisture can affect the texture.
- Use a pot with a tight-fitting lid that is big enough to allow space for the expanding rice.
- For optimum texture, let the rice rest after cooking for 10 minutes before fluffing.
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Neel M says
I make this recipe regularly with chicken adobo. It comes out perfect every time and scales well. Thank you very much for sharing ๐
Cyrus Chui says
Okay thanks for the info
Jennie says
I made this dish last night and it came out perfectly! Thank you so much! I had tried another coconut rice recipe I found online with horrible results, but this was creamy, coconutty, and delicious. My very picky daughter ate 3 helpings! Can't wait to try other dishes.