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Janelle Carss

Coconut Rice

Rice has spent far too long being treated like the beige cardigan of side dishes, but not today! This luscious Coconut Rice is fluffy, fragrant, packed with garlic and ginger, and guaranteed to steal the spotlight from whatever you serve it with.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups jasmine rice (sub basmati)*
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil (sub neutral oil)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ to 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced (depending on spice preference)
  • 1½ cups canned full-fat coconut milk
  • 1½ cups vegetable broth or water
  • ½ tsp salt, add more to taste
  • ½ cup toasted cashews, for serving
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, for serving

Method
 

  1. Start by rinsing your jasmine rice until the water runs mostly clear. This helps remove excess starch so your rice stays fluffy instead of turning into one giant coconut-flavoured blob.
  2. Warm the coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger, cooking for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden.
  3. Add the rinsed rice and stir for another couple of minutes so every grain gets lightly coated in all that garlicky, gingery goodness.
  4. Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable broth, season with salt, and stir everything together. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
  5. Once it's cooked, resist the urge to peek. Leave the lid on for another 5–10 minutes to let the rice finish steaming. This little bit of patience is the difference between good rice and how-is-this-so-fluffy rice.
  6. While the rice cooks, toast the cashews in a dry skillet or in the oven until lightly golden. Let them cool slightly before giving them a rough chop.
  7. Fluff the rice with a fork, sprinkle over the toasted cashews and fresh cilantro, and serve.

Notes

Basmati Rice: If using basmati instead of jasmine rice, adjust the liquid amount to 2¾ cups total first, or simply 1½ cups coconut milk and 1¼ cups veggie broth. If by the 15 minute mark the rice is looking a little dry or undercooked, pour in a further ¼ cup of broth or water.