Coconut-Cashew Rice
But let’s be honest, steamed rice can get boring, even for me, which is why I was so excited to find this recipe, which jazzes up my favorite staple with just a few ingredients.
I like this dish for both its flavor and texture. The toasted coconut is sweet and fragrant. The roasted cashews are salty and crunchy. It’s a side dish interesting enough to stand on its own, but neutral enough to complement whatever you choose to serve with it.
It’s important to use a long grain rice like jasmine or basmati rice for this dish. Short grain varieties such as Japanese sushi rice or Italian arborio rice will be too starchy and sticky for the coconut and cashews to disperse evenly throughout the grains.
I like to serve this with a bowl of warm coconut curry. It also works well as a side to some grilled shrimp and vegetables. Give it a try and spice up your plain old steamed rice!
Where’s Erica: Nick and I are on a 2-week trip to London and Paris and will be back at the end of the month. We are in London at this moment, touring the city and sipping tea. Thanks to the Internet, posts will magically appear on the blog during my time away. It’s as if I have never left.
Coconut-Cashew Rice
Adapted from Food and Wine, April 2010
- Dried unsweetened coconut flakes, 1 cup
- Long-grain rice like basmati or jasmine, 2 cups, rinsed
- Water, 3 cups
- Salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons
- Salted roasted whole cashews, 1 1/2 cups, coarsely chopped
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the coconut in the skillet, stirring constantly to prevent the coconut from burning. Toast until golden, about 3 minutes. Let cool.
In a large saucepan, cover the rice with the water, add the salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Spread the rice on a baking sheet and let cool slightly.
In a large, deep nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the cashews and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in the rice and cook until heated through. Mix in the coconut at the end. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and serve.
Serves 12.