savory coconut rice

I'm not really sure how I ever lived before coconut rice nor do I think I could ever settle for plain old rice again. My first introduction to coconut rice was a sweet version with mangoes (recipe coming soon!) but when I searched the web for the recipe, I saw far more recipes for savory coconut rice. The ingredients were simple and cheap so I whipped up a batch. To my surprise, the rice was subtly fragrant and creamy making it wonderful "base" to any main dish or a versatile side (mix in anything you'd like for a quick pilaf). So, if you are sick and tired of regular white rice, you've GOT to try this.





Total Recipe cost: $2.42
Servings Per Recipe: 4 (3/4 cup ea.)
Cost per serving: $0.61
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 40 min. Total: 45 min.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 cup	jasmine rice	$0.87
1 can (approx. 1.5 cups)	lite coconut milk	$1.49
1 clove	fresh garlic, minced	$0.06
1/2 tsp	salt	a fraction of a cent
TOTAL		$2.42

STEP 1: Place the rice, coconut milk, garlic, salt and 1.5 cups of water in a heavy bottomed pot (I used a 2 qt sized pot for this recipe).

STEP 2: Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat with a lid on the pot.

STEP 3: Once the mixture comes to a boil, immediately turn to "low" heat and continue to cook with the lid on until all of the liquid has absorbed (about 30-40 minutes). Do not lift the lid or you risk losing valuable moisture. If you need to check to see if the liquid has absorbed, only check toward the end of the cooking time. Using a pot with a glass lid helps reduce the need for lifting the lid.

STEP 4: Fluff the rice with a fork and serve!

I served the rice with my Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs and Grilled Pineapple.


NOTE: I have made this savory coconut rice with two types of jasmine rice: long grain (pictured here) and short grain (or sticky rice). If you want a creamier texture, then definitely go for the short grain/sticky jasmine rice. If you prefer a fluffier rice, stick with a long grain jasmine rice. The bag of rice (or bulk bin) should specify if it is long or short grain. A "medium" grain jasmine rice will also be a little on the sticky/gooey side.

So, as I was typing up this post, I ate the bowl of rice pictured above... This time I drizzled a little sesame oil and soy sauce on top. This made for an AMAZING little snack! The best part was, because the rice is so fragrant and flavorful, it was actually quite good cold! YUM!