# Easy and delicious coconut rice



## biev (Apr 17, 2006)

Whenever I cook asian type food, I like to serve this rice with it. It's so easy: when cooking the rice, just replace the water with the same amount of coconut milk. I like to get the kind that is a little sweet. Works just as well with jasmine rice, uncle ben's or sushi rice.

A more elaborate coconut rice recipe which I know as "birthday rice":
Feeds 4 people as a main course. Takes around 40 minutes.

Good olive oil
1 onion
2 finely chopped *cloves* of garlic (thanks Barbara)
2 cups of long grain rice
1 liter coconut milk
A piece of fresh ginger the size of your thumb
1 teaspoon ground... tumeric? turmeric? (curcuma in french)
A handful of curry leaves (or 1/4 teasp. curry powder)
Salt

To garnish:
4 hard boiled eggs (I pickle them but it's up to you)
1 small cucumber
2 hot peppers (or to taste)

1. Slice the cucumber, salt and set aside. Cut the onion in eights, then put six of the parts aside and finely chop the remaining two. Grate the ginger. Slice the hard boiled eggs in quarters. Slice the hot peppers.

2. Heat some oil in a small pan and fry the chopped onion. Set aside on paper towel. (Or to get less dishes dirty, use the same skillet as below  )

3. In a large skillet, heat more oil and sauté the rest of the onion, the ginger and garlic over med-low heat until they begin to change color. Add the rice and tumeric or whatever it's called, and sauté 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. *Meanwhile,* in a pot, heat the coconut milk until it begins to steam.

4. Pour the coconut milk over the rice and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add two pinches of salt, and the curry leaves if you are using them. Cover the skillet and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes (or however long the type of rice you're using takes to cook).

5. Remove cover and fluff with a fork. Let stand for a few minutes. Mix in the curry powder if that is what you're using, or remove the curry leaves. Wipe water off the cucumbers with paper towel.

6. Serve rice in bowls. Garnish with the eggs, cucumbers, hot pepper slices and fried onion.


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## Barbara L (Apr 18, 2006)

biev said:
			
		

> 2 finely chopped *little things* of garlic (sorry, don't know this word)


2 finely chopped cloves of garlic.   

This is an interesting recipe--thanks for posting!

 Barbara


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## Lynan (Aug 28, 2006)

Must give that recipe a try Biev..it sounds great. 

If you want an extra flavour in your rice with just coconut milk, add a few kaffir lime leaves. Transforms the dish from wonderful to sublime! 

Lyn


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## Eliza (Aug 28, 2006)

In South East Asia - the coconut rice is used in another Malay main dish called Nasi (Rice) Lemark (Rich).  

For anyone who is interested, it's really easy to cook - 
replace the same amount of water with coconut milk, add a pinch of salt and a few leaves of screwpines (locally it's called pandan leaves).  But do leave about 3 - 4 tablespoon of coconut milk to pour over the rice once it's cook.

Nasi Lemark is usually serve with fried egg, deep fried chicken wings or even fried fish with some cucumber, pineapples serve on the side.


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## urmaniac13 (Aug 29, 2006)

It's a delicious sounding recipe to be tried, Biev, I bet a dash of freshly ground cardamom and sprinkles of fresh coriander leaves will perfect it 


Eliza, I once tried a south asian sweet treat also made with coconut milk, rice and pandan.  It was sliced into diamond shape and exquisitely delicious... do you know what I am talking about... and by any chance, know how they are made???


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## biev (Sep 6, 2006)

Mmmmm... pandan cake! I loooove pandan cake! ^_^


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