Savory Coconut Rice

I love coconut rice, especially as a side for spicy grilled meats, but when I order it out, it's usually too sweet for my tastes, and more closely resembles dessert than a side dish. So, I decided to create a more savory version at home, which I eventually did, after a few short decades of testing.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 22 mins
• Total Time: 32 mins
• Calories: 535 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 ½ cups jasmine or long-grain white rice
• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk (not coconut cream)
• ¼ cup toasted coconut for garnish

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place rice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add grated ginger, kosher salt, red chili flakes, and turmeric. Pour in water and coconut milk. Whisk until mixture is well combined (do not stir again).

Step 2

Place pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. When mixture starts to bubble and reaches a low simmer, place bay leaf on the surface, cover tightly, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 18 minutes without taking off the lid. Remove pan from heat and let sit 5 minutes, covered. Fluff rice with a fork.