Continuing with our Asian Acccents, this week we present Coconut Rice.  It ain’t as easy as throwing some white rice into a steamer and pushing a button; however, it’s well worth the extra efforts in order to capture the bursts of flavor which blow out your buds, tingle your toes and captivate your cranium.  Yes, it’s that good!!!

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups basmati rice, rinsed 3 times
  • 5 T. Clarified butter
  • 1 medium coconut, peeled and cubed into 1 inch (reserve liquid)
  • 15 cashews, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium onion, brunoise (very small dice)
  • 3 1/2 Cups water
  • 1 cinnamon stick (1 inch)
  • 1 cardamom pod, crushed
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 pinch turmeric
  • Salt to taste

Directions

Wash basmatic rice, drain and keep aside.  Meanwhile remove meat from the coconut (come on, haul yourself down to your local asian market – you can do it) and cut into 1 inch cubes.  Add 3 cups water to it and grind it thoroughly.  (You can do this in a food processor or blender).

In a deep skillet, heat butter on low.  Then add cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, and cashew nuts.  Fry until cashews are pale brown.

Add finely chopped onion and the rice after onions have browned slightly.  Stir for 5 minutes.  Add salt and coconut milk which was extracted above, and raise the heat to high.

When the liquid starts boiling, lower heat, cover with a lid and simmer.  Sitr accasionally and simmer until all liquid is absorbed.  Serve with just about anything.  Goes well with light curries, chicken and fish….and pork and beef.   Yea, you get it!