Best 11 Coconut Basmati Rice Pilaf Recipes

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Embark on a culinary journey with coconut basmati rice pilaf, a fragrant and flavorful dish that delights the senses. This delectable rice dish, commonly found in South Asian cuisines, combines the nutty aroma of basmati rice with the rich creaminess of coconut milk. It elevates simple rice into an aromatic and satisfying meal on its own or as a versatile side dish. Whether you're seeking a vegetarian delight or an accompaniment to hearty meats and vegetables, this article will guide you through the best recipes for coconut basmati rice pilaf, ensuring a perfect balance of flavors and textures in every bite.

Here are our top 11 tried and tested recipes!

COCONUT BASMATI PILAF



Coconut Basmati Pilaf image

Adapted from a recipe by the Indian chef, cooking teacher and cookbook author Julie Sahni, this pilaf is an excellent accompaniment to a vindaloo or other Indian main dish. In addition to the coconut milk, it's flavored with cardamom and ginger.

Provided by Alex Witchel

Categories     easy, weekday, side dish

Time 20m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 1/2 cups basmati rice
3 green cardamom pods
3 thin slices ginger
3 sprigs cilantro
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

Steps:

  • Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well and transfer to a large saucepan with 1 1/2 cups cold water, cardamom, ginger, cilantro, salt and coconut milk. Let soak for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  • Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir a few times to keep rice grains from clumping. Cook uncovered, rapidly boiling, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the surface is covered with steamy holes, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat as low as possible and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the cilantro sprig, cardamom and ginger.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 293, UnsaturatedFat 1 gram, Carbohydrate 41 grams, Fat 12 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 5 grams, SaturatedFat 11 grams, Sodium 277 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams

COCONUT BASMATI RICE



Coconut Basmati Rice image

Make and share this Coconut Basmati Rice recipe from Food.com.

Provided by ratherbeswimmin

Categories     White Rice

Time 30m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 1/4 cups water
1 cup white basmati rice, rinsed well
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 piece cinnamon stick (1 1/2 inches)
1/4 cup currants or 1/4 cup raisins
1 dried chili

Steps:

  • In a saucepan, add water; bring to a boil.
  • Add the rice and remaining ingredients; stir to combine.
  • Return to a boil.
  • Stir, cover; reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Remove cinnamon stick and dried chile.
  • Stir to fluff the rice and stir.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 253.6, Fat 7.4, SaturatedFat 5.6, Sodium 155.4, Carbohydrate 43.5, Fiber 2.3, Sugar 6.5, Protein 4.6

COCONUT BASMATI RICE PILAF



Coconut Basmati Rice Pilaf image

From "The Florida Keys Cookbook", I thought this sounded like a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. Sounds great to go with grilled mahi or a tangy island chicken dish.

Provided by kitty.rock

Categories     Rice

Time 45m

Yield 8-10 1/2 cup servings, 8-10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 cups basmati rice
2 cups water, for cooking rice
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup diced sweet onion, like Vidalia
1/2 cup golden raisin
1/2 cup roughly chopped cashews
kosher sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Place rice in a large, nonstick pot. Cover rice with water and, with your hands, agitate the rice, releasing the starch. Pour off the cloudy water then repeat this process until the water is clear. Pour off the water a final time and drain rice in a colander.
  • Place drained rice, 2 cups water, coconut milk, and salt in a large pot. Stir to combine. Bring to a fast boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover pot and simmer rice until just tender and liquid is absorbed, about 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, melt butter in a large nonstick skillet. Add onions, raisins, and cashews. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
  • When liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender, fluff rice with a fork.
  • Add onion mixture to rice and toss with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl.
  • TO MAKE AHEAD: Rice can be chilled and refrigerated overnight. Microwave for 3 minutes or until heated through before serving.
  • NOTE: Substitute dried cranberries or dried cherries for the raisins for a different flavor boost. Rehydrate them in 1/4-cup warm water and then drain them before using in this recipe.

COCONUT BASMATI RICE



Coconut Basmati Rice image

Provided by Amber Levinson

Categories     Fruit     Rice     Side     Vegetarian     Quick & Easy     Bon Appétit     Sugar Conscious     Kidney Friendly     Vegan     Pescatarian     Dairy Free     Wheat/Gluten-Free     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     Kosher

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

2 cups water
1 1/2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups basmati rice (about 13 ounces), well rinsed, drained
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted

Steps:

  • Combine 2 cups water, coconut milk, sugar, and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to simmer, then stir in rice. Cover, leaving slight opening for steam to escape. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 12 minutes. Cover tightly, remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes. Transfer rice to bowl; sprinkle with toasted coconut.

TOMATO AND COCONUT CHICKEN OVER SPICED RICE PILAF



Tomato and Coconut Chicken over Spiced Rice Pilaf image

Provided by Alex Guarnaschelli

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h15m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

2 cups basmati rice
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small red onion, diced
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
One 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, in parts, breasts halved, thighs and drumsticks separated
Kosher salt
6 medium cloves garlic, grated
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
One 15.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves

Steps:

  • For the rice: Soak the rice in 4 cups of cold water for 30 minutes.
  • For the chicken: Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet in a single layer. Season all sides of the chicken with salt. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, use a pair of metal tongs to carefully add the pieces, skin-side down, to the oil. Do not crowd the skillet. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the skin is browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and brown the other side, another 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to a clean baking sheet and set aside.
  • In the same skillet, add the garlic and onions. Add the red pepper flakes and some salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic and onions turn light brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the coconut milk, tomatoes and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up in a single layer in the sauce. Pour any juices into the sauce as well. Lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Taste for seasoning. Keep warm.
  • To cook the rice: While the chicken is cooking, heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
  • On a baking sheet, combine the cumin, fennel, cayenne and cinnamon stick. Lightly toast the spices in the oven, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
  • Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the butter and onion. Season with salt and cook until the onion is translucent but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the spices. Drain the rice, reserving the soaking water. Stir in the rice and cook until you hear it crackling, 1 to 2 minutes. Gently stir in the reserved water. Season with salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until the water has been absorbed and the rice is fluffy, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the rice to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before "forking" it gently onto plates. Spoon the chicken and sauce over the rice and serve.

BASMATI RICE PILAF



Basmati Rice Pilaf image

Provided by Alex Guarnaschelli

Categories     side-dish

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 cups basmati rice
4 cups cold water
2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed, black seeds reserved, pods discarded
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cinnamon stick
12 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 3 tablespoons, cut into slices, optional
1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced
Kosher salt

Steps:

  • To wash or not to wash rice? In the case of basmati, no matter what my preparation is, I always wash it. It cleans out any small particles and it also rids the rice of any starch on the grain. This starch makes the rice gummier when cooked.
  • Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
  • In a medium bowl, add the rice and 4 cups of cold water. Soak the rice for 1/2 hour.
  • In a small bowl, add the cumin seeds, cardamom, fennel seeds, cinnamon, black peppercorns, and bay leaves and stir to combine. Turn the mixture out onto a baking sheet and put it in the center of the oven to lightly toast the spices and awaken the flavors, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the spices to cool.
  • Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat and add the butter and the onion. Season with salt and cook until the onions are translucent but not brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the spices. Drain the rice but reserve the soaking water. Stir in the rice and cook until you hear the rice crackling, about 2 minutes. Gently stir in the reserved soaking water. Season with a generous portion of salt and bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat.
  • Cook the rice over medium-low heat, uncovered and undisturbed, for about 8 minutes. Take a fork (so as not to damage the rice) and flake a few grains off to taste for doneness. It may need to be cooked another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the rice to "rest" (as you would a roast beef) for 10 minutes before "forking" it gently into a serving bowl. Stir in 3 tablespoons of butter, if desired, and serve.

BASMATI RICE WITH COCONUT MILK AND GINGER



Basmati Rice With Coconut Milk And Ginger image

A perfectly cooked pot of plain white rice is a beautiful thing indeed. But basmati rice that's been cooked in a mixture of chicken broth and coconut milk then seasoned with a little chopped fresh ginger and scallions? That's borderline transcendent. The ginger doesn't overpower the rice here - you'll taste the mellow coconut first and the kicky notes of ginger second - so it makes an ideal accompaniment to stir-fries and braises.

Provided by Amanda Hesser

Categories     easy, quick, side dish

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 cups Basmati rice
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
Fresh red chile, sliced, for garnish (optional)

Steps:

  • Place rice in a fine strainer, and rinse with cold water until water runs clear. Transfer to a medium saucepan. Add 1 cup water, coconut milk, chicken broth and salt. Cover, and place over medium-high heat. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce and simmer until liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, and stir in scallions and ginger. Add a little more coconut milk if rice is too dry. Season to taste with salt. Serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 532, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 80 grams, Fat 19 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 16 grams, Sodium 574 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram

BASMATI RICE PILAF



Basmati Rice Pilaf image

Wonderful flavor and textured rice dish.

Provided by Carol Castellucci Miller

Categories     Side Dish     Rice Side Dish Recipes     Pilaf

Time 40m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup finely diced onion
1 bay leaf
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
salt to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Steps:

  • Heat chicken stock in a saucepan until boiling; keep hot until ready to use.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion and bay leaf in the hot oil until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir basmati rice into onion mixture until rice is coated with oil.
  • Pour hot chicken stock into the rice mixture. Season with salt; stir.
  • Bring rice mixture to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue simmering until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
  • Remove saucepan from heat and discard bay leaf. Add butter and fluff the rice with a fork.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 244.3 calories, Carbohydrate 40.4 g, Cholesterol 7.9 mg, Fat 6.9 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 4.1 g, SaturatedFat 2.5 g, Sodium 279.4 mg, Sugar 0.6 g

COCONUT RICE



Coconut rice image

A make-ahead basmati side dish with mild coconut flavours. Delicious served alongside curries at a party

Provided by Sarah Cook

Categories     Dinner, Side dish

Time 40m

Number Of Ingredients 5

3 onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp butter
1kg bag basmati rice
2 x 400ml cans coconut milk

Steps:

  • In a big saucepan or casserole with a lid, gently soften the onions in the oil and butter.
  • When really soft, add the rice and cook, stirring, for a couple of mins. Tip in the coconut milk with 2 cans water. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring, then cover, lower the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 10-15 mins, scraping the bottom regularly with a wooden spoon to stop it sticking. Check the rice: it should be sticky and creamy but not watery, and not quite cooked - still a bit crunchy. Tip into a big bowl that will fit in a microwave and cover with cling film. Chill until ready to serve, for up to a day.
  • To serve, poke a hole in the cling film and microwave for 8 mins on High, stirring halfway, until piping hot and cooked through. Add some salt and stir through with a fork to break up the grains.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 538 calories, Fat 17 grams fat, SaturatedFat 13 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 80 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 3 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 9 grams protein

COCONUT LIME RICE



Coconut Lime Rice image

I was bored one night and thought that coconut lime rice sounded good, so I made my own recipe. I was very much surprised! This wonderful rice will make your toes curl! Toss the cooked rice with diced mango and chopped cilantro.

Provided by Karmabelle

Categories     Side Dish     Rice Side Dish Recipes

Time 40m

Yield 2

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 cup basmati rice
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon butter
¼ cup flaked coconut
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth
salt, to taste
1 lime, zested and juiced
ground black pepper, to taste

Steps:

  • Rinse rice until the water runs clear; drain. Heat coconut oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir rice and coconut flakes for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, then add the coconut milk, chicken broth, salt and lime zest. Bring to a low boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and season with pepper.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 684.6 calories, Carbohydrate 85.4 g, Cholesterol 5.4 mg, Fat 36.9 g, Fiber 3.9 g, Protein 10 g, SaturatedFat 31.7 g, Sodium 56.3 mg, Sugar 4.2 g

CHORIZO PILAF



Chorizo pilaf image

Falling somewhere between a paella and a risotto, this slow-cooked basmati rice pot has deep paprika flavours

Provided by Good Food team

Categories     Dinner, Main course

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion , thinly sliced
250g baby cooking chorizo , sliced
4 garlic cloves , crushed
1 tsp smoked paprika
400g can chopped tomato
250g basmati rice
600ml stock
1 lemon , zest peeled off in thick strips, plus wedges to serve
2 fresh bay leaves
small bunch parsley , chopped

Steps:

  • Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid. Add the onion and cook for 5-8 mins until soft and golden. Push to the side of the pan and add the chorizo. Cook until lightly browned and some of the oils are released into the pan.
  • Add the garlic and paprika, then the tomatoes. Bubble over a medium heat for 5 mins, then add the rice, stock, lemon zest and bay leaves. Stir everything together well and bring to the boil. Put the lid on and cook over a very low heat for 12 mins.
  • Turn off the heat and leave to sit and steam for 10-15 mins. Stir through the parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 488 calories, Fat 18 grams fat, SaturatedFat 6 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 58 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 9 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 19 grams protein, Sodium 1.4 milligram of sodium

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients: The quality of your ingredients will greatly impact the final dish. Use fresh, fragrant coconut milk, long grain basmati rice, and flavorful spices.
  • Rinse the rice: Rinsing the rice before cooking removes excess starch, which can make the rice sticky. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water until the water runs clear.
  • Toast the rice before cooking: Toasting the rice in butter or ghee before adding the liquid helps to develop its flavor and give it a nutty aroma.
  • Use the right amount of liquid: The amount of liquid you use will depend on the type of rice and the desired consistency. For basmati rice, a good rule of thumb is to use 1 1/2 cups of liquid for every cup of rice.
  • Cook the rice over low heat: Cooking the rice over low heat helps to prevent the rice from becoming mushy. Bring the rice and liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed.
  • Fluff the rice before serving: Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork to separate the grains and make it light and airy.

Conclusion:

Coconut basmati rice pilaf is a versatile and delicious side dish that can be served with a variety of main courses. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste by adding different spices or vegetables. With its fragrant coconut flavor and fluffy texture, coconut basmati rice pilaf is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.

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