Coconut-Raisin Rice Pilaf
photo by Outta Here
- Ready In:
- 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Serves:
-
4-5
ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
- 1 1⁄2 cups long-grain rice
- 2 cups coconut milk (method to make your own follows)
- 1 1⁄2 cups chicken stock
- 1⁄2 cup desiccated coconut (dry)
- 1⁄2 cup raisins or 1/2 cup currants
- salt
-
To make coconut milk
- 8 ounces desiccated coconut (dry)
- 3 1⁄2 cups water
directions
- Make coconut milk: In a medium-sized pot, place dessicated coconut and water. Mix and allow to soak for ½ an hour. After ½ an hour, turn heat onto low and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and leave pot on element for ½ an hour. After ½ an hour, transfer coconut mixture to blender or processor and process for 45 seconds. Put a large sieve over a bowl and empty coconut mixture into it. Press down hard on coconut solids with the back of a spoon to remove as much coconut milk as possible. This method produced 2 cups of coconut milk. Can be made up to 2 days before recipe and refrigerated, covered. The milk will separate in the fridge, forming a creamy ‘fat’ layer on top, and a thinner ‘liquid’ layer underneath. Not to worry, the fat layer will melt into the liquid when heated and form a lovely milk.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add onion, garlic, ginger and red pepper paste, mashing paste into the rest of the ingredients. Cook onion mixture until softened, but not browned, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the rice and cook in the oil, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and add coconut milk and stock (careful - the pan will be hot!), along with the coconut and combine well. Taste liquid and add salt if you feel the stock didn’t provide enough.
- Return to element and bring to a rapid boil. Boil uncovered over high heat until the level of the liquid is just above the rice, about 5 minutes. Cover immediately, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and simmer for 10 more minutes.
- Carefully stir in the currants, cover pot, and continue cooking over low heat another 5 minutes without lifting the lid (total cooking time = 20 minutes).
- Let the pilaf ‘rest’ for 10 minutes off the heat. Fluff the pilaf with a fork and serve with your favourite curry.
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Reviews
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Wow...wow...wow...! I followed your instructions exactly as stated: Evelyn, even making my own coconut milk. It was easy to make & very flavourful. I loved how simple the process is. I will never buy the canned variety ever again. The lovely flavour imparted into the rice was very delicate and not too sweet. The rice turned out beautifully: very spicy and slightly sweet with a wonderful blendidng of flavours. I used a mixture of currants and gold & red raisins. I tried a small bowl for lunch, now I can't wait for dinner. Thanks so much for another great recipe. You are the bomb.
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OK, here goes. I live in Athens, Greece. I moved out here many, many years ago from Ottawa, Canada - so I am blessed in having two wonderful heritages!
I suffer from compulsive obsessive behaviour with regard to food and my psychiatrist thought it would be a good idea to find a 'society' where many have the same problem and try to find a cure.
So far, I've copied a couple of thousand recipes from this site and my psychiatrist has thrown the towel in and refuses to answer the phone when I call.
What did I do wrong?
Got 3 kids that keep me on the go - 10 and under at this point (2008) - I may not get round to updating this for a few years, so you'll have to do your own maths.
I teach English full-time and Greek Cookery part-time. I would like to make the cooking part of it full-time and the English Grammar part of it part-time.
That's all for now.