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
- 5 tsp white sugar (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
Asian Restaurant Style flavour – use ONE:
- 1 pandan leaves , knotted
- 2 kaffir lime leaves , crushed in hand
Optional Garnish:
- 1 tbsp desiccated coconut , toasted, to garnish
Instructions
- 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.
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan).
- 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.
Holly says
First time making coconut rice, and I’m so glad I found your recipe, or would make the mistakes you mentioned and end up with a sticky mess. Following the recipe to a t, rice turned fluffy and perfect. Thank you.
Erin says
This turned out so great!! I used medium grain rice coz thats all i had, and watered down coconut cream because again, thats what i had on hand, and it still turned out beautiful. I especially love the little crunchy bits that stuck to the bottom, added a lovely texture that resembles shredded coconut.
Definitely saving this recipe for ever!
Kate says
Hi Nagi
Love this with the beef randang – do I need to make any adjustments for a rice cooker?
Eve says
Holy cow. Like you, every time I tried to make coconut rice it was gloopy. This recipe works perfectly!
If you’re interested to know, I just put the soaked rice and all of the ingredients in the rice cooker and it worked just as well.
Carrie says
I love this recipe and have used it many times. When I checked it today to make it again, the stovetop instructions for using coconut milk are gone! Could you please consider posting those again too? I am curious to try the oven baked option when I have more time but I really love the simplicity of the old recipe.
Lisa says
I was planning this coconut rice to go with Thai Peanut Chicken. I followed the directions carefully, so not sure what went wrong, but it was a disaster. I’m so disappointed .😔
Rhonda says
Used jasmine rice – turned out perfect!
Angelo says
This is by far the best recipe !!! I didn’t want to add sugar so I tossed in some dried cranberries minus the pandan leaves and kaffir lime leaves. WOW !!!
Andrea says
Absolutely perfect rice. followed to the letter and made in rice cooker. thanks for recipe!!!
KASA says
I made these with half the amount of white sugar and next time with use halo the amount of brown as the raisins also add a level of sweetness. Chocolate chips would work nicely as well.
Holly says
Mine came out crunchy 🙁 now adding more water and trying to save it!
Lyn says
Wow. Made coconut rice for the first time with this recipe.
So easy and so perfect. Will be making again soon.
Thank you.
Net says
I made a half sized soaked version with half a left over can of coconut cream, the other half was in my curry for one, which was mostly the liquid bit but had a little chunky cream too. I was so hungry but followed the rinse/soak instructions and the rice was definitely worth waiting for!! I used Basmati too and it was the most fluffy basmati I’ve ever made! And certainly the best coconut rice I’ve eaten. THANKS NAGI!!!
Cathie Rakovec says
I just made the long grain white rice with full fat coconut milk and it is A-MAZING! By happenstance, I rinsed it per the directions, but I soaked it in water until the rest of my dinner was prepared (about an hour). I omitted the kaffir lime/pandam leaves. I served the rice with my grilled, red Argentine shrimp with shell on and it was an incredibly delicious meal! I believe the size of pot and the size of burner makes all the difference in the world when making rice (not to mention a great recipe)! I use an eight inch, 4 quart clad pot and my middle sized, gas burner. Thank you for sharing!!!!
Steven says
Does 1 cup of rice in the recipe = a real cup or a rice cup?
Cheryl Rothschild says
Slightly confused about the actual amount of coconut milk + water needed. Is it truly a 1:1 ratio and, if so, how much of each? Or, is it just 14 oz of coconut milk + 1/2 water? The latter is not a 1:1 ratio in you recipe. Thanks so much!
Jamie says
Love it! Worked perfectly
Steph says
Nagi- this recipe is amazing. Life changing even. I’ve made it 2 nights in a row! I used the kaffir lime leaves both times. I’d love to try it with pandan next. This one will be on rotation for ever! Thanks
tony says
i will master this coconut rice if it kills me
tony says
made a pile of slow bbqd bone out chicken thigh steaks marinated in fresh ginger,garlic,lemon grass with turmeric coriander cumin chili, then put the Jasmine rice on & drooled over the plan of this fantastic coconut rice under it & found no coconut milk left….. heartbroken 🙁
tony says
i will master this coconut rice if it kills me
Sandra says
I wonder if I can make this using the oven cooking method? I make big batches of food for our local club each week – usually around 40 or 50 portions, so always use the oven method when cooking the rice.