Coconut Fried Rice - Goodlife Magazine

This is one of those recipes that you can make in any season. For the summer months, serve in pineapple and imagine yourself on a beach somewhere in Thailand. I don’t know about you, but in a Nigerian household on Christmas Day, Jollof rice is normally on the menu but this coconut fried rice is an excellent change from the popular jollof rice. Coconut fried rice is a real crowd pleaser and great for the festive season. This Thai and Nigerian inspired savoury recipe is packed with coconut flavour, loaded with seasoned vegetables and protein.

Coconut Fried Rice
yield: 8 SERVINGScook time: 30 MINUTEStotal time: 30 MINUTES
This is one of those recipes that you can make in any season. For the summer months, serve in pineapple and imagine your self on a beach somewhere in Thailand. Coconut fried rice is a real crowd pleaser and great for the festive season. This Thai and Nigerian inspired savoury recipe is packed with flavour, loads of vegetables and protein.

Ingredients

2.5 cups of easy cook long grain rice
1 can (400ml) of coconut milk
1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, sweet corn and Green Beans
1 red, yellow and green bell peppers
1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 bunches of spring onions, thinly sliced
Prawns (optional)
2 knorr cubes (Chicken stock cubes)
1/2 tbsp Thyme
1.5 tbsp curry powder
1 tsbp tumeric powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ginger powder (optional)
1 tsp coriander powder (optional)
2-3 bay leaves
3.5 tsbp coconut oil, for frying
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Place rice in a large saucepan with water, rinse a few times. Add water to the pot, about an inch above the rice, add a pinch of salt and cover the saucepan tightly with a lid. Parboil the rice for about 5 minutes. *Don’t let the rice cook all the way through.
Heat coconut oil in another large saucepan on medium-high heat. *If are adding prawns or any other meat, you can add this first. Once the oil is hot, add onions, bell peppers and mixed vegetables, followed by knorr cubes, thyme, curry powder, turmeric, garlic, ginger, coriander, bay leaves and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.  Add coconut milk to the saucepan, stir in bring to a boil over high heat.
Stir the vegetables and coconut milk, then bring to a simmer and reduce to heat to low. Add parboiled rice, salt and pepper, to taste and gently stir in.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the saucepan with foil and then cover the saucepan with a lid to cook for a further 10 minutes. *The foil helps trap the heat to steam the rice.
 Serve the coconut fried rice hot, with a side of salad and chicken or fish.   If you want to feel like your on holiday, serve the coconut rice in a carved out pineapple.

Notes

If I’m cooking a side of grilled chicken, I will usually add the leftover juices into the coconut fried rice for extra flavour.

Ingredient Substitutions And Additions

Knorr cubes can be substituted for Maggi cubes or any chicken/meat stock cube.

Vegans: In addition to the vegetables, chopped mushrooms and tofu pieces can be added to the rice. Substitute Chicken stock cube can be substituted with vegetable stock cubes.

Vegetarians: In addition to the vegetables, chopped mushrooms can be added. Substitute Chicken stock cube can be substituted with vegetable stock cubes.

Pescetarians: In addition to the vegetables, prawns and chopped mushrooms can be added

Meat Eaters: Cooked chicken pieces, beef, chorizo sausage, scrambled eggs can be added to the rice.

Coconut fried rice