Having a rice cooker has changed my life! And I now can make my rice cooker coconut rice with success!

Rice Cooker Coconut Rice

I’ve only said this eight thousand times, but like, everyone in the world should own one because they are magical.

Five plus years ago, in the wee years of Simply Scratch, there was no way I would ever post a recipe for rice, let alone coconut rice. Why? Because I cannot make rice in a pan, pot, Dutch oven… anything. Not that I wouldn’t try, oh I’d try but it would be an epic disaster when it was done or not done because it would turn out under-cooked too sometimes. And it would (still does?) always baffle me when I would watch a show on Food Network and someone could effortlessly make rice on their stove top. Just. HOW?

But making fluffy, tender, perfectly cooked rice in a rice cooker? THAT I can do.

Rice Cooker Coconut Rice

Just a last month I upgraded my old Aroma rice cooker for it’s much newer and digital version and I have zero regrets about it. I absolutely love it! So far I’ve made brown rice for vegetable fried rice, regular ol’ jasmine rice and now the oh-so-tasty coconut rice.

Coconut rice is one of my all time favorites, especially because it’s as easy as dumping in rice, coconut milk, water and salt, closing the lid and pressing a button. Who wouldn’t love that?

rinse rice under water until water run clear

Depending on if I’m making Thai, Indian or something else entirely, I will use either basmati or jasmine rice but long grain white rice would work just as well. Today it’s basmati. I added 4 cups* of rice into a large mesh strainer and rinsed under cool water until the water runs clear (this takes a few minutes).

*note that most rice cookers come with their own specific measuring cup. If you don’t have one or (like me) have lost it, measure out four 3/4 cups. 3/4 of a cup is equivalent to the “cup” that is used with most rice cookers.

Add rice and salt to rice cooker

Add the rinsed rice to the rice cooker pot…

Fill with water and coconut milk

Add in the entire can of full fat coconut milk and then fill with water to the 4 cup waterline.

For a more savory coconut rice, try adding in a clove of minced garlic.

rice cooker

Close the lid, plug it in and press the white rice button. It’s as easy as that. Have I told you that I LOVE my rice cooker? I do.

So I was blogging 3 recipes in one day and TOTALLY forgot to grab a shot of the cooked rice in the rice cooker, so I will have to tell you verse show you: the coconut rice was so fluffy! Each grain separate, not clumped, gummy or sticky. Just how rice should be!

And it smelled AMAZING!

Rice Cooker Coconut Rice

Now depending on your time or desire for the utmost coconut flavor… then I highly suggest sprinkling toasted unsweetened coconut over top. It adds texture, flavor and looks pretty when mixed throughout the rice.

Delicious!

To quote my husband:

“It’s been so long since I’ve enjoyed perfectly cooked rice that I forgot how much I like it.” – Pat McNamara 2012

(thank you rice cooker 😉 )

Enjoy! And if you give this Rice Cooker Coconut Rice recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

Rice Cooker Coconut Rice

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Yield: 12 servings

Rice Cooker Coconut Rice

It's as easy as adding (rinsed) rice, coconut milk, water and salt into a rice cooker and pressing start. Prep is minimal and you get to set it and forget it for just under a half hour. This coconut rice is fluffy, fragrant and delicious! Serves 12 (1/3 cup) portions.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups basmati rice, see notes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can full fat coconut milk
  • water
  • kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, optional

Instructions 

  • Measure rice into a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cool water for a few minutes, until the water runs clear.
  • Place rice into the rice cooker along with coconut milk and salt. Fill the pot with water up to the 4 cup waterline.
  • Close the lid, and depending on your brand of rice cooker, press the start or "white rice" button.
  • Once rice is fully cooked, keep it on the warm setting while you quickly toast coconut in a dry skillet.
  • Serve coconut rice in a large bowl and top with the toasted coconut.

Notes

*note that most rice cookers come with their own specific measuring cup. If you don't have one or (like me) have lost it, measure out four 3/4 cups. 3/4 of a cup is equivalent to the "cup" that is used with most rice cookers.
Calories: 307kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 8mg, Potassium: 158mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 2mg