“Simple ingredients, treated with respect…put them together and you will always have a great dish.” – Jose Andres
I used to make plain white rice quite a bit when I first started cooking. Even making plain rice took me a long time to learn. I had to figure out the correct water to rice ratio and I remember burning the rice on the bottom of the pan more often than not. Eventually though I learned how flavorful rice can be when adding in different liquids like vegetable broth or coconut milk. Coconut rice is my now go-to side dish for Ramadan recipes. Coconut rice is so easy to make but it really packs in flavor and you can add different seasonings and different vegetables to mix it up. This rice includes peas and carrots for a simple but delicious side dish that goes great with curry or mchuzi.
- Yield: 4-6 servings
Ramadan Recipe Series: Wali Wa Kunde Na Karoti (Coconut Rice with Peas & Carrots)
Adapted from Taste of Tanzania: Modern Swahili Recipes for the West by Miriam R. Kinunda
Ingredients
- Water - 1 & 1/2 cups
- Salt - 1/2 teaspooon
- Basmati Rice - 1 & 1/2 cups, rinsed
- Coconut Milk - 1 cup
- Peas - 1/2 cup
- Carrots - 1 cup, chopped small
- Turmeric Powder - 1 teaspoon
- Cumin - 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
- Place the basmati rice in a large pot, add water, coconut milk and salt and bring to a boil.
- When the rice boils, add in the peas, chopped carrots and spices.
- Lower the heat and cover the rice. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes until rice is soft and absorbs all the water/coconut milk. You can continue adding 1/4 cup water at a time until the rice is cooked.
