coconut basmati rice

I cannot tell you how excited I was to be back in my kitchen yesterday. Although I didn’t have much left in the fridge and was too exhausted to go to the supermarket, I still wanted to surprise Jon with a romantic dinner after being apart from each other for a full week. I was craving Asian food and had some fresh sliced beef in the fridge, so I decided to make a stir-fry (recipe to come) to serve on top of rice. Jon could eat potatoes every day of the week, however my ultimate favorite side dish is rice, especially the basmati variety. Maybe it’s because I grew up in Asia with rice being such a staple side dish to every meal, but I just can’t get enough of it. Cooking plain basmati rice was way too easy for me after having been out of the kitchen for a week, so I decided to try something I’ve wanted to do for a while: coconut rice.

 

Those who have been following Savormania for a while now know my love for coconut. Although coconuts are very healthy, coconut milk is not the most diet-friendly ingredient on the planet…however it is a great substitute for cream and milk, and thus perfect for those who are lactose-intolorent like me. Despite being quite high in fat content, coconut milk does have its health benefits, as the fat it contains is mainly lauric acid, which when digested turns into a healthy compound called monolaurin — an antiviral and antibacterial that can help fight against several diseases. Amazing taste and disease-fighting benefits? I therefore say yes to coconut milk, cooking with it from time to time especially when I want to bring a special touch to Asian dishes.

This coconut basmati rice takes only 20 minutes to prepare and will, I promise, invade your kitchen with the most incredible smell. All you’ll need is to combine basmati rice, coconut milk, vegetable oil, vegetable stock power and water in a medium saucepan and cook it as you’d regularly make rice. Once ready, mix in some chopped fresh coriander and a bit of lemon zest and voilà, you’ll have a creamy, decadent and unforgettable side dish to share over dinner with your loved ones.

Other rice dishes on Savormania: vegetarian paella, mujaddara — lebanese lentil rice and chinese stir-fried vegetable rice 

 

How did your coconut basmati rice come out? Share photos of your recipe on Instagram by tagging #savormania