Coconut Rice – A simple yet flavorful rice with milk from grated coconut. So aromatic, coconutty and tasty rice. Makes a perfect pair for any dish!
Coconut is a very big part of African and Caribbean Cooking and most of the recipes are made with fresh hard coconuts.
There might be a couple of standout brands for store-bought coconut milk, but nothing beats the freshly squeezed coconut milk. It is aromatic, naturally sweet and delightfully nutty- a far cry from its canned counterparts.
Getting the flesh out is quite daunting. Some come out so easy; others are a pain to get out. What helps is heating the cracked coconut in an oven for about 15-20 minutes. This causes the coconut meat to shrink, making it easy to remove from the shell.
Buying fresh coconut can be a challenge here in the United States. Here are some tips that might help in selecting a fresh coconut.
- Double check your coconuts for any molds or cracks. Air and mold entering the coconut will make the coconut meat spoil quickly which produces a rancid coconut.
- Shake and feel the coconut, it should be heavy – I usually get the heaviest – Indicating that they contain plenty of liquid, which keeps the flesh from drying out.
- To be on the safe side I always buy more than I need and save the receipt for returns whenever possible.
This is a simple savory coconut side dish that we often make at home by using the milk of a grated coconut. It is then used for savory and sweet meals.
I used a blender to grate the coconuts instead of a grater. This saves me time, energy and most of all my precious fingers.
Serve it with this Amazing Chicken Stew. Recipe featured here.
Enjoy!
How To Make Coconut Rice
Hit hard the middle of a coconut with a blunt side of a cleaver or hammer, just enough to crack it. Rotate the coconut, continuing to hit it at the center with the hammer or cleaver. It will split in two eventually at the center or wrap coconut. Place it in the oven for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees F to facilitate removal of the flesh from the shell. Let it cool. Use a spoon to remove the coconut from the shell.
Blend coconut in a blender (blendtec or vitamix preferably) on high into a fine consistency. Sieve the coconut mixture using cheesecloth.
Squeeze really tight to extract all the milk.
Place rice in a saucepan with water, rinse and sieve out water.
Add coconut milk, water and salt. Place the saucepan over high heat and, bring to a boil. Stir saucepan then bring to a simmer- heat level should be very low – cover the saucepan tightly with the lid. Continue cooking for about 15-18 minutes.
Remove sauce pan from the heat and let it cool, covered. Fluff with fork and serve.
Watch How To Make It
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Coconut Rice
Ingredients
Fresh Coconut Milk
- 1 mature coconut
Coconut Rice
- 2 cups rice, I used Basmati
- 2 cups fresh coconut milk, or a 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 2 cups water
- 1-1½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Fresh Coconut Milk
- Hit hard the middle of a coconut with a blunt side of a cleaver or hammer, just enough to crack it. Rotate the coconut, continuing to hit it at the center with the hammer or cleaver. It will split in two eventually at the center or wrap coconut.
- Place it in the oven for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees F to facilitate removal of the flesh from the shell. Let it cool. Use a spoon to remove the coconut from the shell.
- Blend coconut in a blender (Blentec or Vitamix preferably) on high into a fine consistency.
- Sieve the coconut mixture using cheesecloth. Squeeze really tight to extract all the milk.
Coconut Rice
- Place rice in a saucepan with water, rinse and sieve out water. Add coconut milk, water and salt. Place the saucepan over high heat and, bring to a boil.
- Stir saucepan then bring to a simmer- heat level should be very low - cover the saucepan tightly with the lid. Continue cooking for about 15-18 minutes.
- Remove sauce pan from the heat and let it cool, covered. Fluff with fork and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Michael Okoi says
I love this recipe
Imma says
Thank you so much, Michael. Stay tuned to have more amazing recipe:)