Coconut rice is one of those items that I often see in the menus of Asian restaurants but never bother to make at home. There’s really no excuse because it is so simple to prepare. Essentially, you boil rice with a mixture of coconut milk and water. That’s it.
I’ve tested many different coconut milk to water ratios for this recipe, and I liked using 1/3 cup of coconut milk to 1 cup of water the most. I thought there was a good balance of coconut fragrance in the rice without the rice being too decadent. There are a few recipes online that recommend adding 3/4 cup coconut milk to the rice. I tried using that amount of coconut milk and found it to be too much. When I ate the rice, there was a slightly unpleasant feeling of coconut cream coating my mouth. Sure, the rice tasted richer, but I simply couldn’t eat too much of it at a time.
COOKING NOTES FOR THE COCONUT RICE
- Hint of lime: Lime flavor compliments this coconut rice very well, so I highly recommend mixing 1 to 2 tablespoons of lime juice to the rice to brighten everything up. You can infuse even more lime flavor by adding the zest of 1 lime into the rice. Add it before you start cooking the rice or after the rice is cooked. Note that if you cook the rice with the lime zest, the rice will pick up a faint green hue.
- Letting the rice rest, covered: Once you turn off the heat for the rice, let it rest in the saucepan, covered. Because we’re cooking the rice for only about 8 to 9 minutes, we need the residual steam in the saucepan to finish the cooking process. That’s why it’s crucial to leave the lid on.
LOOKING FOR MORE WAYS TO COOK WITH COCONUT MILK? TRY THESE RECIPES:
- Tofu Wontons with Yellow Curry Broth
- Hot & Sour Coconut Noodle Soup
- Curried Chickpeas with Mint & Cilantro Chutney
- Red Curry Quinoa with Honey Chili Tofu Stir Fry
Simple Coconut Rice with Hint of Lime
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
- 1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of lime juice, add more to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the rice several times and transfer it to a saucepan. Add the coconut milk, water, and salt and give everything a stir.
- Bring everything to boil, uncovered. Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until the water has been absorbed by the rice. I usually transfer the saucepan to a burner with a smaller flame so that the liquids don’t absorb too quickly. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit on the stove for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Uncover the saucepan. You’ll notice a layer of coconut cream at the top of the rice, and that’s perfectly normal. Fluff the rice with a fork and stir to distribute the coconut cream. Add the lime juice to the rice and stir again. Taste the rice and add more lime juice, if necessary. Serve the rice with your favorite dish. I love eating the rice with my sambal potatoes.
Notes
nancy says
ooooooooo. LOVE coconut rice! Thanks for the recipe!!
Think I can use my rice cooker? the ratio of rice to liquid is different….
either way is ok with me.
Dawn Harriman says
Hi Lisa, I really am looking forward to trying this rice (and potato) recipe (who knew rice and potatoes served together?)! I really would like to know what that side dish of veggies is, please. They look spiralized. Is there a recipe for them? Thank you! Dawn
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Dawn! They are the green papaya salad! That recipe is on the blog, too. For the photo in the coconut rice post, I sliced the green papaya on a mandoline and then julienned the slices.
Dawn Harriman says
Great! Thanks so much, Lisa!
World's Best Rice Store says
Thanks so much, Lisa 🙂
Katie says
I will admit I was nervous about this recipe–I have never seen the method of boiling for half the time and then letting it sit (plus I am pretty attached to my rice cooker). But I followed it all exactly and it worked and was delicious! I served it with some jerk chicken skewers. Thank you so much for this, it was exactly what I was looking for–a lightened up coconut rice.
Sylvia R Bowen-Hooks says
Thank you for the recipe. Made with jerk lobster and it was so good. They complimented each other neither one overpowering the other. My guest loved it. Nice and fluffy as you stated. I forgot to rinse the rice but never the less it was good. Again, thanks.
Victoria Day says
Hi Lisa! Could I do this with brown rice?
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Victoria. It will take a lot longer if you use brown rice. Use this post as a guide and sub the water with coconut milk: https://healthynibblesandbits.com/how-to-cook-short-grain-brown-rice/
Willow says
This was so good!!!
Lydiechan says
This just didn’t come out. The rice is still uncooked in the middle and it’s been something like an hour. I will be returning to the consistency of my rice cooker and perfect rice every time. I will probably try swapping out some of the water for a bit of coconut milk, though. I think the flavor would have been good if it had ever cooked.
Amy P. says
I have made this recipe twice already (once with lime juice, once without) and I just have to say thank you!! I love jasmine rice but all of my attempts to cook it on top of the stove haven’t yielded great results (thanks package instructions), so I switched to baking it (which works but takes longer). I was nervous about the cook time on this recipe but it works so perfectly! I can now happily & confidently serve fluffy jasmine rice. Thank you, thank you!
Lisa Lin says
Thank you, Amy!! So glad this worked for you!
Carmen VanVliet says
Hi Lisa – I only have light coconut milk handy. Will this work? Should I increase the coconut milk, and decrease the water?
Thanks, Lisa.
Lisa Lin says
I think it will work with light coconut milk!