Coconut Rice

This incredibly fragrant coconut rice is a staple in Southeast Asia and perfect for elevating any curry. This version of coconut rice is common in Malaysia and used for making Malaysia’s national dish — nasi lemak! Regular ol’ rice is elevated by cooking it in coconut milk along with aromatics like ginger and pandan leaf, all of which enrich the rice and give it a savory-sweet perfume.

Even if you’re not making nasi lemak, a bowl of coconut rice can do wonders in livening up a weeknight meal, and is great use of extra coconut milk. If you are looking to use up left over coconut milk on hand, don't stress if you have a little more or less than 1/2 cup. For example, if you have 1/3 or 2/3 cup of coconut milk, just increase or reduce the water ratio proportionally to keep the overall amount of liquid in the recipe the same.

- Recipe by Deborah Lee

malaysian-coconut-rice

Coconut Rice

SERVES TIME

4 30 mins

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups (300g) long grain rice, rinsed with water
1/2 cup (120ml) coconut milk
2 cups (480ml) water
Optional: 1 pandan leaf (Note: These can be purchased frozen from an Asian grocery store, but can be hard to come by)
Optional: 1/2-inch (1.5cm) piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 tbsp (5g) kosher salt

METHOD

Add the rice into the pot, along with coconut milk, water, pandan leaf, ginger and salt. Give them all a good stir to combine then let it simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked through and no water remains.
Alternatively, if you are using a rice cooker; follow the step above with the rice cooker pot and set it to cook in the rice cooker just like how you would regular white rice.
When done, take a spatula or spoon and gently stir the rice to fluff it up, then serve!

SHOP INGREDIENTS