Ghee rice with coconut milk takes a delicious spin on the traditional Indian dish, ghee rice.
It’s a delicious dish that is simple to make and is ready in no time.
Great to serve on it's own or as a side dish to other dishes like grilled meats or curries.
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Ghee rice with coconut milk is packed full of robust and rich flavors, making it a favorite among many food lovers.
This one pot coconut milk rice recipe is a dish flavored with a variety of spices, fluffy and tender rice, and ghee.
This coconut milk ghee rice can be served as a side dish or even enjoyed as a standalone meal.
You can customise this ghee rice with coconut milk recipe to suit your tastes. Serve it as is, or add some dried fruits like sultanas, or chopped nuts.
Whether you are a seasoned cook or just a beginner in the kitchen, this ghee rice recipe with coconut milk is sure to delight your taste buds and have you drooling for more.
If you are after other delicious Indian rice dishes that are easy to make, why not try bagara rice, egg biryani, ghee rice, or jeera rice?
What is ghee?
Ghee is a type of clarified butter. It is often used in Indian cuisine.
Ghee is made by simmering butter which results in the milk solids and water of the butter separating from the fat. The separated milk solids are removed, and the butter fat is kept.
Ghee has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor. It is also lactose free and has a longer shelf life than regular butter.
What rice do I use?
Ghee rice with coconut milk is typically made with basmati rice.
Basmati rice is a long grain rice. It has a distinct floral and nutty aroma, and the grains are slender, long, and fluffy when cooked.
If you can’t find basmati rice, you can substitute with another type of long grain rice, such as jasmine rice.
Keep in mind, different types of rice may require different liquid amounts and cooking times.
So you may need to adjust accordingly.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Packed full of flavor.
- This ghee rice with coconut milk is easy to make.
- Customise it to your tastes. E.g. add more or less chili, add sultanas, or even chopped cashews.
- Ghee rice with coconut milk can be made in advance.
- Perfect to enjoy on it's own, or served with other dishes like grilled meats or curries.
Cost To Make
Estimated cost = $3.25, or $0.81 a serve.
Ingredients
Please note that below is a guide for some of the ingredients we used in the recipe. The printable recipe further down the page has the complete list of ingredients, including quantities and step-by-step instructions.
- Ghee
- Cinnamon Stick
- Bay Leaf
- Green cardamom pods
- Cloves
- Cumin seeds (jeera)
- Green or red chili: Silt, deseeded, chopped fine.
- Basmati rice
- Coconut milk
- Water
- Salt
Instructions
This recipe for ghee rice with coconut milk serves 4. The ingredient quantities can easily be adjusted to suit how many you need to serve.
Step One: In a small bowl, rinse and then soak the rice in water for at least 20 minutes. Once soaked, completely drain the water. Set aside.
It is important to soak your rice. This will make your cooked rice fluffy and soft. If you don’t soak your rice, you could end up with gritty and hard rice.
Step Two: In a medium sized pot, heat the ghee over low to medium heat. Saute the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamon pods, and cloves for 2 to 3 minutes.
Step Three: Next, add the cumin seeds and chili, and saute for a further 2 to 3 minutes.
Step Four: Place the soaked and drained rice in the pot and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step Five: Add coconut milk, water, and salt. Stir until combined. Taste for salt, if you find it lacking, you can add more now.
Step Six: Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
It is important not to overheat coconut milk as it can curdle and separate. Bring the liquid just to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer straight away.
Once boiled, reduce the temperature to low and cover. Cook simmering for 25 minutes.
Step Seven: Turn off heat and rest rice covered for 10 minutes.
Step Eight: Fluff the rice with a fork or spoon. Remove the spices. Garnish with chopped nuts, coriander or parsley leaves if desired and serve.
Tips for Success
If you find that after cooking your rice is too wet, you can remove the lid and let it cook uncovered on low for a few minutes to allow any excess liquid to evaporate.
Substitutions / Variations
- Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon if you don’t have a cinnamon stick.
- Use about ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom instead of green cardamom pods if you don’t have any.
- If you don’t have basmati rice, you can use any long grain rice as a substitute.
- You could also add in some toasted nuts (such as cashews or almonds), dried fruits, or fresh herbs, near the end of the cooking process or sprinkle them on top of the ghee rice before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Some ways we love to enjoy this ghee rice with coconut milk include with:
- Riata: This is a yogurt based condiment commonly served with Indian dishes. It helps to balance out the spiciness of curry or rice.
- Curry: Chicken, beef, or even vegetable curry may complement the rice nicely.
- Papadum
Storage
Once cool, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days. When reheating, you may need to add a bit of water or coconut milk to the rice to restore its moisture.
FAQ
It is best to use a long grain rice for this recipe, such as basmati rice. Other types of rice, just as short grain may not give the same results.
It’s best to use a full-fat coconut milk to give the rice a rich and creamy flavor. If you use a light coconut milk it may not give the same texture and flavor.
Yes, you can. But the flavor will be different.
Of course, you can! Customise this ghee rice recipe to suit your tastes. You could add cashew nuts, more chili, or even dried fruits for example.
Yes, rice can be cooked in coconut milk. By cooking rice in coconut milk it can add a creamy and rich texture to the rice dish.
Ghee rice with coconut milk is a variation on the traditional Indian rice dish, ghee rice. The main difference between the two dishes is that one uses coconut milk to provide additional flavor.
Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below! We'd love to hear how it turned out.
What rice is used for what?
Ever wondered which might be the best rice to use for a dish you’re about to make.
Or maybe you’re just curious and want to know more about rice in general.
Why not check out our pages on what is basmati rice and what is jasmine rice.
Helpful Rice Cooking Tips
Want to know how to cook rice or just need a little refresher?
Check out how to easily cook basmati rice, sushi rice, and jasmine rice on the stovetop.
Or, why not check out our recipes on how to make basmati rice, jasmine rice, and sushi rice in the Instant Pot.
Recipe
Ghee Rice with Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (35 grams, 1.25 ounces) ghee
- 1 to 2 inch (2.54 cm to 5.08 cm) cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 3 cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds jeera
- 1 green or red chili slit and deseeded, chopped fine, optional
- 1 cup (200 grams, 7.05 ounces) basmati rice
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 1 ¼ cup water
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, rinse and then soak the rice in water for at least 20 minutes. Once soaked, completely drain the water (see note 1). Set aside.
- In a medium sized pot, heat the ghee over low to medium heat. Saute the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamon pods, and cloves for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Next, add the cumin seeds and chili, and saute for a further 2 to 3 minutes.
- Place the soaked and drained rice in the pot and fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, water, and salt. Stir until combined. Taste for salt, if you find it lacking, you can add more now.
- Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, stirring continuously (see note 2). Once boiled, reduce the temperature to low and cover. Cook simmering for 25 minutes.
- Turn off heat and rest rice covered for 10 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork or spoon. Remove the spices. Garnish with chopped nuts, coriander or parsley leaves if desired and serve.
Notes
- It is important to soak your rice. This will make your cooked rice fluffy and soft. If you don’t soak your rice, you could end up with gritty and hard rice.
- It is important not to overheat coconut milk as it can curdle and separate. Bring the liquid just to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer straight away.
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