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Coconut Rice

I call this Caribbean because that’s where I first had it, but not surprisingly it’s a staple in much of Southeast Asia as well. Great with jasmine rice, it’s perfectly fine with any other short- or long-grain rice and can be varied in many ways. If you like, garnish with some chopped cashews or peanuts. I love this with spicy stews.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 4 servings

Ingredients

3 cups coconut milk, homemade (page 584) or canned (about two 12- to 14-ounce cans)
1 bay leaf or 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger, optional
1 1/2 cups rice, preferably short-grain
Salt to taste

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the coconut milk, bay leaf if you’re using it, and rice in a saucepan with a lid and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add some salt, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t stick or burn.

    Step 2

    Uncover and continue to cook, stirring, over low heat until the rice is tender and the mixture is creamy, about 15 minutes. If the liquid evaporates before the rice is done, stir in water, about 1/2 cup at a time, and cook until done.

  2. Coconut Rice and Beans

    Step 3

    Stir 1/2 cup moist cooked kidney, pinto, pink, or black beans into the rice about 5 minutes before it finishes cooking.

  3. Yellow Coconut Rice

    Step 4

    In step 1, add 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric to the mix.

The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved. MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
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