Coconut Rice

Simple and flavorful. Coconut flavored rice is one of the most easiest dishes in South-Indian cuisine. It is also one of the most flavorful - especially if you love coconuts.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1. 3/4 cup uncooked white rice
2. 1 cup coconut flakes / shredded coconut
3. 1 teaspoon black-mustard seeds
4. 1 tablespoon split urad dhal / ulutham paruppu / split black gram
5. 2-3 dry red chillies
6. 1 teaspoon salt (to your preference)
7. 2 teaspoons vegetable oil /olive oil
8. a few curry leaves
9. ¼ teaspoon hing / asafoetida

Preparation

1. Cook the rice with as much as water as required by the type of rice you are using. Since the coconut perfumes and flavors the rice, it’s best to not use an aromatic rice such as Basmati that would compete with the coconut and confuse the flavors. A cup of regular white rice requires 2 to 3 cups of water on average to cook. I use 2.5 cups of water for this dish.
2. Splutter mustard in hot oil. Add the split urad dhal, hing, red chillies, and curry leaves and saute for 20-30 seconds on medium heat. Reduce the heat a bit and add the coconut flakes and salt. Fry the coconut till it turns brown and releases its oil and aroma. Remove from heat immediately before the coconut burns.
3. Add the fluffed up, cooked rice to the fried coconut in small batches and stir well to combine. Taste to check for salt and adjust accordingly. It’s best to let the combined rice sit for about 30 minutes or so to ensure the flavors seep through. Serve the well-combined coconut rice!

That’s it! Serve with a spicy side-dish or with crumbly vadaams or chips.