The Slapdash Cook

I was gonna get around to this anyway… someday… but since I had an actual request, I thought I ought to hurry up and post about this coconut rice. Like a lot of recipes in my Indian cookbook, it is a two-parter requiring both a saucepan and a frying pan. I routinely cut it in half because these recipes are sized for a crowd.

Coconut pilaf with sesame seeds (Til-Narial Bhat, according to book)
1 cup long-grain rice, basmati is probably best
1 cup coconut milk (I routinely use light with no drama. The leftover coconut milk is good for making Thai curries if you have curry paste around.)
1/2 tsp grated or crushed fresh ginger (I have just realized I never cut this in half, and while it has never been a problem, I really, really like ginger. YMMV.)
1 tb vegetable oil or light sesame (I threw in a little dash of dark sesame oil once, but it’s a strong flavor, so be careful.)
3/4 tsp mustard seeds (recipe calls for black ones, I use yellow ones, angry Indian ammas have not yet assaulted me.)
4 dry red chiles. I don’t have the right kind of dried, so I just use some fresh ones that I stuck in the freezer.
1/6 cup sesame seeds (that’s 2 tb and 2 tsp, or you could be lazy like me and just eyeball half of a 1/3 cup measure.)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut. DO NOT GET THE SWEETENED KIND IN THE BAKING AISLE. That stuff is awesome in desserts, but this is not the time for corn syrup. I got unsweetened coconut at the better of the two Indian groceries around here.

1. Wash the rice in several changes of water. My pilaf adventures have taught me that this actually does make a difference, but I feel guilty about wasting the water and bore easily, so I generally stop before the water runs clear. When you run out of patience, put the rice in a bowl to soak with water at least an inch above the top of the rice and soak for at least half an hour. You can get the rest of the goodies together while waiting, or I actually usually just disappear into another room and leave it for ages without doing the recipe any obvious harm.

2. Bring 3/4 cup water, coconut milk and ginger to a boil. Add the rice. The book says to stir constantly while it’s coming back to a boil to keep it from settling. I’m not totally sure why that’s a bad thing, but I did it. Reduce heat and let it simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. At the end, the liquid should be mostly gone and there should be little holes on top of the rice.

3. When that’s over, cover the saucepan for serious and turn the stove as low as possible and cook for another 10 minutes. It seems like it ought to burn, but it doesn’t. When it’s done, let it sit, covered, while you deal with the other goodies.

4. Now you want a nice big skillet with a lid. Put your oil in that and put it over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the mustard seeds and cover at least partially, because the mustard seeds are going to pop like popcorn and it’s unpleasant to be in their way when they do.

5. When the popping is over, add the chiles. If they are dried, it says they will turn darker almost immediately, at which time you are meant to add the sesame seeds. From here, the recipe says it should take about a minute to get the seeds a nice golden brown, stirring constantly to get them evenly cooked. This author clearly has a different definition of “medium high” from mine, because I have not yet managed to not burn them. Luckily, it tastes good anyway. If you’re worried about the aesthetics, I suggest turning off the heat before adding the sesame seeds.

6. Now it’s time to stir in your rice, salt and coconut! Stir and fry until well-blended. The first time I did this, I did it the other way — dumped the seeds into the rice — and it came out OK. But I think it’s easier to incorporate this way, and there is something to be said for the taste of fried stuff.

That’s it! Recipe says you can serve it at any temperature and with anything not containing coconut.