Fluffy Coconut Rice

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I fell in love with coconut rice the first time I ever tried it at an Indo-Malay restaurant in middle school. And it’s not surprising — this rice, which despite possible preconceptions, is meant to be eaten with savory foods, is fragrant and lightly sweet with beautiful coconut undertones.

This recipe skews on the simple side and omits some of the aromatics you’ll sometimes find in coconut rice in Indonesia, things like lemongrass and bay leaves. While the “real stuff” of course tastes better, this simple version is also very good and easier to make in a pinch!

The method behind making this coconut rice is slightly different than normal rice, so make sure you follow the directions below to ensure you get a fluffy final product.

Pair this recipe with my Thai-inspired rotisserie chicken salad for an irresistible weeknight meal.

Special Ingredients

  • Jasmine rice — Coconut rice typically uses jasmine rice, though I’m sure there are variants that use other types of rice as well. For this fluffy coconut rice, I recommend jasmine so you achieve the right texture.
  • Coconut milk — “Coconut milk” products can be really confusing because there are no official naming conventions across brands. Canned coconut may also come chock full of gum stabilizers and added sugar, along with artificial flavors, but I think it’s worth it in this case to look for the “good stuff.” Trader Joe’s carries a full fat coconut milk that’s great, and Chao Koh is always my favorite stand by. It’s available at most Asian markets, or you can find it here. Be careful to not confuse coconut cream for coconut milk, as it’s too thick and won’t work well in this recipe.

Fluffy Coconut Rice

Servings: 6 servings
This is my favorite thing to order at an Indonesian restaurant so it feels luxurious when I get to make it at home! Proper coconut rice may contain additional aromatics like lemongrass or Asian bay leaves, but this version keeps it simple. This fragrant and lightly sweetened rice pairs well with all kinds of foods but does especially well with the bold and tangy flavors of Southeast Asian food.
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Ingredients

  • 2.25 cups jasmine rice or 3 "rice scoops" if using a rice cooker
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt (Diamond brand) if using table salt, reduce by half
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 cup full fat coconut milk*

Instructions

  • Rinse rice several times until the water runs clear in your rice cooker pot or in a medium sized pot if you don't have a rice cooker — this usually takes about 3 times for me — then drain the water out. Set aside.
    2.25 cups jasmine rice
  • Add sugar and salt to a 1 or 2 cup measuring cup. Add boiling water to reach the 1 cup mark on the measuring cup, then carefully stir to dissolve the sugar completely. Let cool slightly.

If using a rice cooker

  • Add coconut milk to the washed rice, then add warm sugar mixture. Add enough room temperature water to reach the 3 cup mark on your rice cooker.
  • Cook rice in rice cooker on the standard "white rice" setting. Once the rice is done, open the cooker, fluff up the rice, then close the lid of the rice cooker once again and let sit for 30 minutes on the warm setting. Fluff once more and enjoy.

If cooking on the stovetop

  • Add coconut milk to the pot with the rice, then add the sugar water mixture. Finally, add 1 1/3 cups cool water to the pot.
  • Bring the rice to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer for another 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and let the rice sit, covered, for 15 minutes. Fluff the rice at this point, then return the lid and let rice sit for another 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

Notes

* There are all kinds of coconut milk out there and many contain additives like sugar or gum thickeners. I prefer to use coconut milk that doesn't have any additives — like Chao Koh or Trader Joe's brand. Do not substitute with coconut cream!

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