Fluffy coconut rice eluded me for years. And finally, I’ve cracked it! The trick is to use the oven rather than the stove. The coconut rice comes out super fluffy, not gluey and mushy. It’s just like you get at restaurants.
Coconut Rice
Truly fluffy coconut rice eluded me for years. I felt like I tried every variation possible, but when I lifted the lid, I’d stare at dismay at into a pot of mushy rice, thick with coconut milk scum. Usually with unevenly cooked rice grains – some hard, some overly soft – and almost always with a scorched base.
The making of my cookbook gave me the excuse I needed to commit to cracking coconut rice, once and for all. 30+ tests later, I’m so happy to say my team and I have cracked the secret code.
And every since then, I’ve never looked back. Fluffy coconut rice every. single. time WITHOUT FAIL!
The secret to fluffy coconut rice – BAKE IT
The trick to fuss-free fluffy coconut rice is to bake it rather than cook it on the stove. The coconut rice comes out perfectly fluffy every time, and no scorched pot!
How to make perfect coconut rice
Rinse the rice – this is a must to remove excess starch. I don’t do this when cooking normal white rice. It’s essential for coconut rice because coconut milk is thicker than water so it can make the rice a gluey mess. Just rinse the rice until the water is pretty clear. It will never be 100% clear.
Soak rice for 1 hour – this essentially gives the rice grains a bit of a head start in the water absorption phase. This is critical to ensure the rice cooks through evenly because coconut milk is thicker than water which makes it harder for the rice grains to absorb the liquid.
Can’t just use coconut milk – it’s just too thick, the rice can’t absorb it properly. It needs to be diluted with some water. I find the perfect flavour / rice texture is achieved by using 1 can (400ml/14oz) coconut milk with 1 cup of water (just over 2 1/2 cups) for 2 cups of rice.
Bring coconut milk and water to boil first – This is quite key as well! We need to heat the liquid before adding into the rice in a baking pan to get the cooking process started as soon as the rice is in the oven.
If you just pour cold water and room temperature coconut milk over the rice, it takes a good 10 to 15 minutes for the liquid to heat up in the oven during which time the rice is just wallowing in lukewarm liquids which causes it to bloat and cook unevenly.
Bake, covered with foil, for 40 minutes at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan). By covering the rice, we are essentially making steam rice just like you do on the stove. Except, we don’t to worry about scorching the base of the pot and the heat distributes much more evenly through the rice so it cooks through evenly!
Rest 15 minutes – Take the pan out of the oven and rest, covered in foil, for 15 minutes. This step is essential so do not skip it or shortcut the resting time. During the resting time, the rice will finish cooking through evenly and the wetness on the surface of the rice grains will be absorbed, leaving the rice fluffy.
And that, my friends, is the secret to fluffy coconut rice.
It’s a lot of words. But don’t worry, actually cooking it is super duper simple. Just pop it in the oven and leave it to do its thing!
How to rinse rice
I find it easiest to rinse rice in a bowl. Just pour the rice in a bowl and fill with water, then swish it around. Drain (just pour the water out best you can, no need to use a colander), then fill with water again and repeat 4 to 5 times until the water is pretty clear.
The water will never be completely clear! My rule of thumb is 4 to 5 refills of the bowl.
BONUS coconut milk powder option: There’s another way to make fluffy coconut rice on the stove using coconut milk powder. The result is not quite as fluffy as using the oven and the coconut flavour is not quite as intense. But it’s still very good, much better than stove-top using coconut milk, and a good option for those times when you don’t have an oven.
I’ve popped that extra recipe below the coconut milk recipe (ie scroll to bottom of post). It’s an extra because coconut milk powder isn’t as common as coconut milk. While I always have coconut milk on hand, I don’t usually have powder!
How to make Thai / Asian Coconut Rice
To get a true Asian restaurant coconut rice, the secret is to add pandan leaves. If you can’t find pandan leaves, kaffir limes leaves also add a similar fragrance.
This is what pandan leaves looks like. It’s sold at some Harris Farms in Australia, as well as Asian stores.
To prepare them for use, just knot them – this breaks the leaves, releasing the flavour so it infuses into the rice.
What to serve with coconut rice
Coconut rice is a rice dish that is used in cuisines such as Caribbean, Tropical (Hawaiian!) as well as South East Asian foods such as Thai and Malaysian foods.
But don’t let “rules” restrict you. Use it as you wish – and I promise you, it’s so delish, you can even eat it plain, straight out of the pot!
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
Coconut Rice will go great with…
Everything Thai and Vietnamese
Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Jerk Fish
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Restaurant Style Coconut Rice (Coconut Milk)
Ingredients
Coconut Rice
- 2 cups jasmin rice (Note 1)
- 400 ml / 14 oz coconut milk , full fat or light (Note 2)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp white sugar (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
Asian Restaurant Style flavour – use ONE:
- 3 pandan leaves , knotted
- 3 kaffir lime leaves , crushed in hand
Optional Garnish:
- 1 tbsp desiccated coconut , toasted, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan).
- Rinse rice in water until the water runs pretty clear. (Note 1)
- Soak & drain – Drain rice then soak in water for 1 hour. Then drain in a colander and leave to drain well for 5 minutes.
- Rice in pan – Place the rice in a 20cm / 8" square pan (metal or ceramic). Add pandam or kaffir, if using.
- Heat coconut milk – Heat coconut milk, water, sugar and salt in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Bake 40 minutes – Working quickly (to minimise heat loss), pour hot liquid over rice, stir quickly to spread rice evenly. Cover with foil then bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Rest 15 minutes – Remove the pan from the oven. Take a quick peek to ensure the liquid has been absorbed (tilt pan to check). There will be coconut cream on the surface – that's normal. Rest rice, covered, for 15 minutes. Do not shortcut this!
- Fluff with rubber spatula. Garnish with toasted coconut, if using, then serve. Marvel at fluffy rice!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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Fluffy Coconut Rice – Coconut POWDER
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice (or long grain) (see notes)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 packet coconut milk powder (1.75 oz / 50 g) (see notes)
- 2 kaffir lime leaves , crumpled in your hand OR 3 pandam leaves, knotted – OPTIONAL, for Asian restaurant style
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp desiccated coconut , toasted, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over high heat. Place lid on.
- When it comes to the boil (watch it, you don’t want it to boil over), turn down the heat to low / medium low so it is simmering gently.
- Leave it to simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove from heat and rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Fluff with fork. Garnish with toasted coconut, if using, then serve.
Hi Nagi
I’ve used coconut cream instead of milk. That’s all l had in the pantry……hope it works.
Alicia from Canberra here. Dropping in to say this recipe is GREAT! PERFECT ratio of everything. I could eat bowls of it, just on it’s own.
Discovered it goes really well with steamed salmon ( and some soy sauce drizzled on top)
Excellent. Love your recipes!
Thank you so much Nagi,
I have been swearing by your recipes to family and friends for the past 12 months and made this for the first time tonight. Instead of skewers I used your method of velveting chicken and added capsicum and beans to this sauce as a stir fry. I also paired it with your coconut rice recipe (which is now a regular in our house) It was absolutely divine! Keep those recipes coming! 🙂
Sorry this was supposed to be posted on your satay skewers link but I had both open to cook tonight haha
Hi Nagi,
First time I’ve cooked rice in this way and it turned out perfect.
Love it not stuck to the bottom of the pan and perfectly cooked
Love your recipes slowly going through the ones i like
Fantastic.
Nailed it Mark!! N x
Two different soak times listed, one says 15 minutes and the other says 20. I didn’t notice this until after I’d made it and it was a little crunchy. Guessing the extra 5 minutes is the key.
Can this recipe be adapted for a rice cooker?
I’m following your instructions but it’s a process. For a faster return, it would be fabulous if we could get this fluffy rice from a cooker. (I have the brand that Ming Sai uses.)
Hi Ronda, I haven’t tried to be honest, would love to know if it works! 🙂 N x
Re step 5 in coconut rice recipe….how long to cook on reduced heat after covering?
Hi Warren – 14 minutes as per the recipe. Enjoy! N x
Thanks….I was referring to the heading “Here’s the secret to fluffy coconut rice”….theres no time stated in step 5…….all good 👍
I thought I’d try out the powdered milk version in the rice cooker and it doesn’t work. It was hard and looked messy with that coconut milk “scum”. Maybe if the rice is soaked or there is extra water it may work. I’ll try stove top next time. I know that will be great 🙂
So I’ve never made coconut rice before and most recipes I found asked for the can of milk but yours had for powder also! I figured why not!? It came out beautifully, no sticky rice, no burnt rice and very delicious!
I’m so glad you gave it a go Kristyn!!!
Hello Nagi,
Looking forward to trying this recipe with the chickpea curry!
The basmati rice I have takes 2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice, how much coconut milk/water combo should I use in this case?
Hi Yasmeen, this recipe works with basmati – just follow the recipe exactly – N x
I was a little bit impatient and tried the recipe before I got your reply 😅
I used the same liquid amount stated but 1.75 cup rice instead of 2. It was perfectly fluffy!
I unfortunately don’t have access to kafir or pandam leaves where I live, but I’m sure they would have added a great flavor. Thanks for a great and easy to follow recipe 🙂
My husband fell in love with coconut rice when he was working in Trinidad. He brought home several packets of coconut milk powder. I had no idea how to use it, until I saw this recipe. It’s perfect and so flavorful! He gave it a BIG two thumbs up. Now I’m trying to find out where the purchase more of the powder! Thank you for posting this recipe with two versions. At some point, I will probably try the other one, but the powder made it so easy, it may take awhile!
Hi Melanie, now you can still make it even if you can’t find the powder – I’m so glad you love it!
Hi Nagi, please update the coconut rice recipe using powder to include a serving size scale. If that isn’t possible, how many people does the recipe feed?
The recipe with milk is 2 cups rice for 4 people. The recipe with powder is 1 cup rice. So 2 people.
This is the best coconut rice I’ve ever eaten, and cooked. My husband loved it and said it saved his day. It turned a stressful day into a pleasant evening. The best recipe. I always cook using your recipes and now my kids start dancing when they see me on your page because they know something good is coming up
Ditto this comment from Shifa. This was the best coconut rice recipe and my 5 year old coconut rice connoisseur said my rice was better than the restaurants’. Had to stop her eating the whole pot! Love your recipes, Nagi! Have you made a cook book?
Can I make it in rice cooker? Nagi?
I made this in a fuzzy logic cooker (ten year old Zojirushi, no jasmine setting so I used white rice setting) using rinsed jasmine, coconut milk. I’ve never had restaurant coconut rice so I don’t know if the texture is as good as stove top or if mine came out “correctly, but it was good! Despite forgetting to soak after washing, it seemed fine. Not at all crunchy or mushy.
I’m so glad you loved it Shifa!
I made this rice today for lunch service at my cafe’. I used half coconut milk powder and half canned coconut milk. I omitted the sugar and toasted my desiccated coconut. I cooked it in my Vulcan Steamer oven.
I served the rice with Grilled Margarita Shrimp and Pineapple Slaw (we were celebrating Jimmy Buffett today!). 58 orders later within a 3 hour service window, and my patrons agreed it was the BEST coconut rice ever!
Thank you Nagi!
Wahoo!!! That’s great Carrie!!
Hands down the best rice I’ve ever made. My guests loved it too. So very glad you provided such great instructions
What can I say.. W O W.
I’ve only ever tried cooking rice in a rice cooker and failed miserably. Since then I’ve bought microwave rice packets whenever I’ve craved coconut rice. But damn is it expensive for such a small serving. Tonight though, I thought I’d give it a real go. Google lead me to this recipe. I was sceptical about my ability to cook rice on a stove. But I have to say, this recipe was A M A Z I N G. Super easy to make and to follow! And actually so much easier to clean up after than a damn rice cooker. No gluggy rice whatsoever, and I’ve frozen some of the left overs!
I had no idea I could make such fluffy, delicious rice!! I ended up adding a few kaffir lime leaves from a jar rather than fresh ones as I wasn’t sure where to buy them.
I can’t rave about this recipe enough! I’ll never be eating microwave rice again 😂
WAHOO!!! That’s awesome Brianna, you’ll never buy the rice packets again!
Hi! This looks great. I’m
Just going to try it. I only need a cup of rice. Does that change the cooking time?
OMG! Your recipe results in the most authentic coconut rice I’ve ever made. Your detailed instructions are so easy to follow and I love your explanations on why you recommend certain steps. This is the only recipe for coconut rice I’m ever going to use! Thank you Nagi!
Wahoo, thanks so much Giulianna!!
Many recipe sites are just plain poor, some are good but your recipes dealing with coconut rice provide exceptional detail. This is the first time I have ever provided a comment. Thanks. I have not looked at your other recipes yet.
Thanks so so much David!
I have just cooked this (coconut milk version, basmati rice, stovetop). I confess that I was pretty skeptical when I’d when I’d added the coconut milk/water to the rice – how could this not end up as a glutinous mess? But it worked perfectly! The rice was still a bit al dente after the 14 min cook, but the 10min rest sorted that out.
Thanks Nagi, I’ll definitely be making this again.
Wahoo, you nailed it Robin! – N x
Hey Nagi.
I cooked a few of your recipes today (This one, the Asian Slaw, and Thai Chicken satay with peanut sauce). They were all absolutely DELICIOUS, except for the coconut rice, unfortunately. It barely cooked. I followed the instructions to a T, but substituted basmati rice for jasmine rice.
I had to add more liquid to it a few times after the initial cooking attempt, to try and get the rice to cook, but it just wasn’t cooperating. I cooked it on the stovetop, as I don’t have a rice cooker.
I’m a chef, but don’t have much experience in Asian cooking, so have been trying to expand my repertoire lately. I’m surprised how it turned out (because the recipe made sense and sounded quite accurate for cooking rice), and that I couldn’t save it/get it to a nice consistency despite repeated attempts to fix it.
Just curious if anyone else has had any issues with this recipe? I really can’t see where it could of gone wrong, and I see that this recipe has many positive reviews. Please let me know if you have any ideas on what could have gone wrong.
Thank you for the absolutely amazing recipes for the Asian slaw and chicken satay. I have been raving about them! 😉
Hi Jessica, sorry you had issues here, but that doesn’t sound right at all.. Did you soak the rice first?