A healthy, delicious rice side dish! So simple to make and the perfect accompaniment to your dinner!
If you haven’t tried turmeric coconut rice, you have truly been missing out! Its such a lovely side dish that goes with a number of dishes ranging from curries to grilled meats or fish.
The rice is creamy, thanks to the coconut milk it is cooked in, and has a beautiful, rich yellow colour from the turmeric. It tastes delicious and looks gorgeous on the plate!
What is Turmeric?
Turmeric is a spice that comes from the turmeric plant that grows in India and surrounding areas. It is a popular spice uses in many of your favourite dishes, including curries. It is closely related to ginger and can be used in cooking similarly -i.e. you can grate the root as you would ginger or you can also buy it as a powder. I personally prefer to use it as a powder.
Turmeric is a wonderful healthy addition to the rice here. Not only does it give it this beautiful golden colour, it also adds a number of healthy benefits! Turmeric contains curcumin which has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. Its highly recommended that you add a dash of pepper when cooking with turmeric (which I do in this recipe) as it helps your body absorb the health benefits.
Although I didn’t really grow up eating turmeric, since developing food sensitivities in recent years, it has become a staple in our kitchen. We add a dash of turmeric to many dishes including proteins, our breakfast eggs, and we even turn it into Turmeric Latte (or Golden Milk). It helps with my inflammation and I feel good knowing I am adding something truly healthy to my dish.
Although it is an important component in curries and has a deep colour, I personally don’t find the flavour overwhelming. It’s best described as having an earthy, peppery taste and must be cooked to be consumed. That said, I don’t find it dramatically changes the flavour of a dish and is mild in flavour but it definitely dramatically changes the colour! Perhaps that’s because I use the powdered form and not the root itself. Or maybe its just me? I’d love to know if you have a different experience.
How to make Turmeric Coconut Rice
To make this rice, you’ll need:
- 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 1/4 cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
Making the rice is super easy. To start, I heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Then I add onions and saute for a few minutes until they begin to turn translucent. Next, I add the rice and turmeric and stir to combine.
I then add coconut milk, water, salt and pepper and bring to simmer.
Once simmering, I lower heat to the low setting and cover the pan. I let cook for about 25 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through and the liquid has been absorbed. After letting it stand, covered for 5 minutes, I fluff it with a fork before serving and adjust seasoning if needed. That’s it!
I hope you enjoy this healthy side dish!
-Cathy
You may also like:
Turmeric Coconut Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/2 onion finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 1/4 cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and saute for a few minutes until they begin to turn translucent.
- Add the rice and turmeric and stir to combine. Add coconut milk, water, salt and pepper and bring to simmer.
- Once simmering, lower heat to low setting and cover pan. Let cook for about 25 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
Pingback: Creamy Coconut Turmeric Shrimp - Herbs & Flour