Coconut Rice
Soft, fluffy, and fragrant jasmine rice cooked with creamy coconut milk, a touch of sugar, and a pinch of salt. It’s an easy, comforting side that feels special—wonderful with curry, stir-fry, grilled veggies, or simply on its own.
4
side servings
Ingredients
Coconut Rice
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) jasmine rice uncooked, rinsed well
- 1 can (13.5 oz) (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk unsweetened, well shaken
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) water
- 1 tsp (4 g) sugar or less to taste
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) salt fine
- 2 pandan or kaffir lime leaves optional, lightly torn
For Serving & Garnish
- fresh cilantro chopped, or scallions/thin-sliced basil (optional)
- toasted coconut flakes optional
Equipment
- Medium saucepan with lid
- Fine Mesh Strainer
- Fork
Instructions
- Rinse the rice: Place the jasmine rice in a bowl, cover with cold water, swish, and drain. Repeat 2–3 times until the water runs mostly clear for fluffy, non-gummy grains.
- Combine ingredients: Add rinsed rice to a saucepan. Pour in coconut milk, water, sugar, salt, and pandan or kaffir lime leaves (if using). Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil: Over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom so nothing sticks.
- Simmer: Once boiling, stir again, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Simmer gently for 18–20 minutes or until the water is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Rest and fluff: Remove from heat and let the pot sit (still covered) for 10 minutes. Then discard leaves, if used, and fluff the rice with a fork.
- Garnish and serve: Spoon into bowls and top with chopped cilantro and/or toasted coconut flakes, if desired. Serve warm as a side to curries, stir-fries, or enjoy solo.
Notes
This rice is very flexible! Substitute brown jasmine rice (increase cook time to ~40 minutes, add more water), try a stalk of lemongrass or a few ginger slices for flavor, or garnish with basil or mint instead of cilantro. Leftovers make excellent fried rice the next day. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days, or freeze up to 2 months (reheat with a splash of water for fluffiness).
Nutrition
Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 330mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1.7mg