Fast and Delicious. Cook Your Rice In Coconut Milk. Recipe
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Fast and Delicious. Cook Your Rice In Coconut Milk.
I have always had a bad coconut Jones. Maybe it was because my mother dislikes coconut (and all nuts) so much, she would never let me get my pie hooks on a Mounds Bar when I was a kid. Maybe it was seeing all those forbidden coconut cakes in bakery windows, snowy, glittery, topped with a cherry. Maybe it was watching too many Three Stooges Coconut Cream Pie fights. Who can fathom the lure of forbidden love? One thing is clear, I love, love, love coconut.Yes I do. So of course the idea of cooking my rice in coconut milk was a no-brainer. It also added a kicky, sweet little side dish to my spicy, Chettinad chicken curry, and it was ready in20 minutes. Gotta love that.
Coconut Milk Rice
Here's what to do:
In a large pot heat 1 and 1/2 Tbs of coconut oil. I use Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil.
When the oil is hot toss in:
2 tsp of brown mustard seeds
When they start to pop, add in 2 cups of Basmati rice.
Stir the rice around in the oil, stir frying it for about 3 minutes.
Then toss in:
- 3 cups of water
- 1 tsp of turmeric
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- 1 and 1/2 tsp of salt
8 or 10 curry leaves
1 green chili pepper seeded and finely chopped.
Bring it all to a boil then slap a lid on the pot, turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 25 minutes or so. When all the water/coconut milk has been absorbed, it's done.
Sprinkle the top of the rice with 1/2 cup of chopped cashews, ('cause sometimes you feel like a nut, and I always do) and fluff it up with a fork.
Serve it with a curry leaf perched on top for a fancy touch.
I love making the rice this way. It adds just the perfume and hint of coconut that makes any meal special and is a great side dish on any Meatless Monday.
I paired it with a sambar and spinach masala which is my go-to veg on busy days. Coming up next I've got a great cauliflower, pepper and pea side dish which takes advantage of all the bargain priced cauliflower(99 cents a head, no lie) I've been seeing at the market and of course The Academy Awards, practically a national holiday at our house. I'll be cooking an Indian vegetarian banquet for that event and breaking out my tiara for the festivities. You can follow me on my Twitter page @Kathygori