Researching Samoan recipes revealed a lot of coconut. Coconut cake, coconut rice, coconut sauce, coconut sago, coconut bread. You get the picture - coconut for breakfast, coconut for lunch, coconut for dinner and coconut for dessert. Not that I'm complaining - luckily I love coconut! If I didn't I may have had to reject featuring this country at all!
Coconut rice came up quite a lot, and although I believe coconut rice is eaten in many countries (although perhaps to slightly different recipes) I couldn't resist whipping up a quick batch of Samoan style coconut rice. It's quick comfort food for sure! Very simple, but quite a special accompaniment in place of plain cooked rice. I think it's perfect partner is curry, but goes very well with pretty much anything you would put rice with. In Samoa they eat it as a snack, rather than a side dish.
This would be more traditionally made with coconut milk but I used coconut cream because that is what I had on hand - it just makes even creamier rice! If I'm using coconut cream instead of coconut milk then I often thin it out a bit with a a little bit of vegetable stock (this also boosts the flavour and negates the need to add salt to the dish).
Coconut Rice
Recipe Adapted from Samoafood.com
Ingredients
2 cups long grain rice
2 cups water
1 cup coconut cream (plus 2 tbsp water or vegetable stock to thin it) or coconut milk
To Make
1. Place rice and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Once it boils, turn the heat right down and cover. Leave it to cook for 16-20 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
2. Remove pan from the heat and stir the coconut cream into the rice. Cover and let sit (off the heat!) for 10 minutes.
3. Serve and enjoy!
This month I'm featuring lots of delicious food from
Samoa.
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I've tried this once before & it was nice having that subtle taste of coconut through the rice. Have you been using your coconut grater for any of the Samoan recipes?
ReplyDeleteActually no! I bought a coconut and was all geared up to use my grater on it, but then all the recipes I found called for coconut milk or coconut cream instead of actual grated coconut. Oh well, I'll just have to make some coconut rotti for dinner with my coconut :)
DeleteHi Keely, If I make a curry and have coconut milk left over I like to add it to the water I cook the rice in. Might give this a go tonight as I really like it. Your photos are looking great.
ReplyDeleteI love coconut! Your pineapple turnovers look amazing but I am hoping that you will be posting a coconut dessert.
ReplyDelete