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Heavy-bottomed cooking pot
Steady heat helps rice, dal and slow-simmered sauces cook evenly without catching on the base.
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Vegan Masala Recipe
Coconut Rice, south Indian style
South Indian coconut rice tosses separate grains of basmati with coconut, mustard seeds, curry leaves and crisp lentils. Cashews add richness and a welcome crunch.
Recipe by Craig LogueHow our recipes are created
40 minPrep: 10 minCook: 30 minServes 4IndianVegan
Coconut Rice
From the kitchen
What to expect
This rice uses coconut milk in the cooking water and a simple South Indian tempering for a soft, fragrant finish. The cashews and coconut give it body without weighing it down.
Serving idea
Best served simply
Serve with sambar, a dry potato curry, or a cucumber salad for a simple meal.
Useful equipment
Tools that make this recipe easier
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Vegan Masala recommends
Fine-mesh sieve
Handy for rinsing rice and lentils thoroughly and draining them without losing smaller grains.
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Cook the recipe
Method
- 1
Drain the soaked 1.5 cups basmati rice and add it to a saucepan with 1 cup coconut milk, 1 1/4 cups water, and salt to taste.
- 2
Bring to a boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid, lower the heat, and cook for 15 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
- 3
While the rice cooks, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon chana dal, 1 teaspoon urad dal, and 2 dry red chili peppers, and toast until the dals turn golden.
- 4
Grind or crush the toasted chana dal, urad dal, and chilies to a coarse powder; set aside.
- 5
In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Add 1 tablespoon mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- 6
Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon urad dal, 1/4 cup chopped cashews, and 1 sprig curry leaves. Cook until the urad dal and cashews are golden and the curry leaves look crisp.
- 7
Add 3/4 cup shredded coconut and sauté briefly until it turns lightly golden and smells nutty.
- 8
Fold the coconut mixture and the ground dal powder through the rice with a fork, taking care not to break the grains. Taste and add more salt only if needed, then serve warm.
Gather everything first
Ingredients
- •1.5 cups raw basmati rice (soaked for 30 minutes, preferably)
- •1 cup coconut milk
- •1 1/4 cups water
- •Salt to taste
- •1 tbsp avocado oil or any neutral oil
- •1 tbsp chana dal (Bengal gram dal)
- •2 tsp urad dal (Black gram dal)
- •2 dry red chili peppers (or 1 tsp red pepper flakes; adjust to preference)
- •1 tbsp mustard seeds
- •1/4 cup raw cashews (chopped coarsely)
- •1 sprig curry leaves
- •3/4 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
A few useful notes
Notes
- •Soaking the rice helps it cook evenly and stay separate. If you skip the soak, add a little extra water and watch the pot closely near the end.
- •The coconut should only be toasted lightly. If it browns too quickly, it can turn dry and bitter.
- •Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a spoon of water or a splash of coconut milk to loosen the grains.
- •This rice holds its texture well beside a dry vegetable stir-fry or a saucy lentil dish. A few fresh curry leaves or chopped coriander on top is enough.
- •If using red pepper flakes instead of dry chilies, add them with the mustard seeds so they do not scorch.
Learn the technique
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