Fluffy coconut rice eluded me for years. And finally, I’ve cracked it! The trick is to use the oven rather than the stove. The coconut rice comes out super fluffy, not gluey and mushy. It’s just like you get at restaurants.
Coconut Rice
Truly fluffy coconut rice eluded me for years. I felt like I tried every variation possible, but when I lifted the lid, I’d stare at dismay at into a pot of mushy rice, thick with coconut milk scum. Usually with unevenly cooked rice grains – some hard, some overly soft – and almost always with a scorched base.
The making of my cookbook gave me the excuse I needed to commit to cracking coconut rice, once and for all. 30+ tests later, I’m so happy to say my team and I have cracked the secret code.
And every since then, I’ve never looked back. Fluffy coconut rice every. single. time WITHOUT FAIL!
The secret to fluffy coconut rice – BAKE IT
The trick to fuss-free fluffy coconut rice is to bake it rather than cook it on the stove. The coconut rice comes out perfectly fluffy every time, and no scorched pot!
How to make perfect coconut rice
Rinse the rice – this is a must to remove excess starch. I don’t do this when cooking normal white rice. It’s essential for coconut rice because coconut milk is thicker than water so it can make the rice a gluey mess. Just rinse the rice until the water is pretty clear. It will never be 100% clear.
Soak rice for 1 hour – this essentially gives the rice grains a bit of a head start in the water absorption phase. This is critical to ensure the rice cooks through evenly because coconut milk is thicker than water which makes it harder for the rice grains to absorb the liquid.
Can’t just use coconut milk – it’s just too thick, the rice can’t absorb it properly. It needs to be diluted with some water. I find the perfect flavour / rice texture is achieved by using 1 can (400ml/14oz) coconut milk with 1 cup of water (just over 2 1/2 cups) for 2 cups of rice.
Bring coconut milk and water to boil first – This is quite key as well! We need to heat the liquid before adding into the rice in a baking pan to get the cooking process started as soon as the rice is in the oven.
If you just pour cold water and room temperature coconut milk over the rice, it takes a good 10 to 15 minutes for the liquid to heat up in the oven during which time the rice is just wallowing in lukewarm liquids which causes it to bloat and cook unevenly.
Bake, covered with foil, for 40 minutes at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan). By covering the rice, we are essentially making steam rice just like you do on the stove. Except, we don’t to worry about scorching the base of the pot and the heat distributes much more evenly through the rice so it cooks through evenly!
Rest 15 minutes – Take the pan out of the oven and rest, covered in foil, for 15 minutes. This step is essential so do not skip it or shortcut the resting time. During the resting time, the rice will finish cooking through evenly and the wetness on the surface of the rice grains will be absorbed, leaving the rice fluffy.
And that, my friends, is the secret to fluffy coconut rice.
It’s a lot of words. But don’t worry, actually cooking it is super duper simple. Just pop it in the oven and leave it to do its thing!
How to rinse rice
I find it easiest to rinse rice in a bowl. Just pour the rice in a bowl and fill with water, then swish it around. Drain (just pour the water out best you can, no need to use a colander), then fill with water again and repeat 4 to 5 times until the water is pretty clear.
The water will never be completely clear! My rule of thumb is 4 to 5 refills of the bowl.
BONUS coconut milk powder option: There’s another way to make fluffy coconut rice on the stove using coconut milk powder. The result is not quite as fluffy as using the oven and the coconut flavour is not quite as intense. But it’s still very good, much better than stove-top using coconut milk, and a good option for those times when you don’t have an oven.
I’ve popped that extra recipe below the coconut milk recipe (ie scroll to bottom of post). It’s an extra because coconut milk powder isn’t as common as coconut milk. While I always have coconut milk on hand, I don’t usually have powder!
How to make Thai / Asian Coconut Rice
To get a true Asian restaurant coconut rice, the secret is to add pandan leaves. If you can’t find pandan leaves, kaffir limes leaves also add a similar fragrance.
This is what pandan leaves looks like. It’s sold at some Harris Farms in Australia, as well as Asian stores.
To prepare them for use, just knot them – this breaks the leaves, releasing the flavour so it infuses into the rice.
What to serve with coconut rice
Coconut rice is a rice dish that is used in cuisines such as Caribbean, Tropical (Hawaiian!) as well as South East Asian foods such as Thai and Malaysian foods.
But don’t let “rules” restrict you. Use it as you wish – and I promise you, it’s so delish, you can even eat it plain, straight out of the pot!
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
Coconut Rice will go great with…
Everything Thai and Vietnamese
Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Jerk Fish
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Restaurant Style Coconut Rice (Coconut Milk)
Ingredients
Coconut Rice
- 2 cups jasmine rice (Note 1)
- 400 ml / 14 oz coconut milk , full fat or light (Note 2)
- 1 cup water
- 5 tsp white sugar (Note 3)
- 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
Asian Restaurant Style flavour – use ONE:
- 1 pandan leaves , knotted
- 2 kaffir lime leaves , crushed in hand
Optional Garnish:
- 1 tbsp desiccated coconut , toasted, to garnish
Instructions
- Rinse rice in water until the water runs pretty clear. (Note 1)
- Soak & drain – Drain rice then soak in water for 1 hour. Then drain in a colander and leave to drain well for 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan).
- Rice in pan – Place the rice in a 20cm / 8" square pan (metal or ceramic). Add pandam or kaffir, if using.
- Heat coconut milk – Heat coconut milk, water, sugar and salt in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Bake 40 minutes – Working quickly (to minimise heat loss), pour hot liquid over rice, stir quickly to spread rice evenly. Cover with foil then bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Rest 15 minutes – Remove the pan from the oven. Take a quick peek to ensure the liquid has been absorbed (tilt pan to check). There will be coconut cream on the surface – that's normal. Rest rice, covered, for 15 minutes. Do not shortcut this!
- Fluff with rubber spatula. Garnish with toasted coconut, if using, then serve. Marvel at fluffy rice!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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Fluffy Coconut Rice – Coconut POWDER
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice (or long grain) (see notes)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 packet coconut milk powder (1.75 oz / 50 g) (see notes)
- 2 kaffir lime leaves , crumpled in your hand OR 3 pandam leaves, knotted – OPTIONAL, for Asian restaurant style
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp desiccated coconut , toasted, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over high heat. Place lid on.
- When it comes to the boil (watch it, you don’t want it to boil over), turn down the heat to low / medium low so it is simmering gently.
- Leave it to simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Remove from heat and rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Fluff with fork. Garnish with toasted coconut, if using, then serve.
I was hoping for the prior stove top recipe as well. It’s perfect and much faster.
Thank you!
I came back to this page specifically for the stovetop version of Coconut Rice. Can you please repost it?
The best coconut recipe to date. I’ve tried Chrissy T. And Gaby’s. Both are great, but yours beat them in flavor and easy clean up. I had a can of coconut milk that was a little less than 14oz. Made up w extra TBSP of water give or take and worked out well. Anywho, thanks for the share!
Nagi, there are so many comments about the updated recipe. I just spent over an hour searching the internet trying to find your stovetop recipe and gaslighting myself that I imagined it. I’ve made your stovetop recipe at least 5 times in the last year and it is perfect. Not that I don’t want to try this one, but I seriously cannot spend this amount of time cooking due to chronic illness. Can you please please please re-add the stovetop version as an alternate recipe, as you did with the powder version? … or if anyone reading this saved the stovetop version somewhere, can you share it? Lol. *sobs over loss of accessibility*
Hi Nagi, could we please have a copy of the previous stove-top recipe? From memory it was so much faster and easier because I don’t have to use the stove and the oven. Plus, I don’t have an 8″ pan :O thank you!
If you look up the recipe for Hawaiian Chicken it is included there. Hope this is the right one. Cheers, Bron
here is a link to the archived recipe!
https://web.archive.org/web/20221202033452/https://salesdock.info/fluffy-coconut-rice/#wprm-recipe-container-21536%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Yes totally agree- I just went looking for the recipe for dinner tonight and it was GONE! Stove top version always worked perfectly for me… please bring it back ❤️
Would love to see the stovetop version added back as well – I’m in a small apartment with no oven 🙁
I’d like the old recipe too. 🙁
Ditto for the stovetop version!! Went to start cooking this tonight and got derailed by the different recipe.
I would also like the previous recipe. It was a keeper! Wish I had printed it out. 😭
I like to use the way back machine website to find old versions of sites and, for those still wanting the stove top method… I found Nagi’s wonderful stove top recipe here: https://web.archive.org/web/20200505050410/https://salesdock.info/fluffy-coconut-rice/#wprm-recipe-container-21536%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I would also love the original version!
I also came back to the bookmarked page and found the recipe had changed. From my memory and making this often, the ingredients are the same, just soak the rice for 20mins then add the rice to the rest of the ingredients in a pot and cook until it’s simmering all over. Then stir once, put the lid on and cook on low for 14 minutes. Then turn off and leave for 10 minutes covered and then fluff the rice and you’re done.
Me too! I’ve spent ages looking for the previous recipe, and only just realised it has been updated
Why did this recipe change? I loved the old stove top version with coconut milk.. can you please post again?
I would also love the previous instruction, please! I don’t want to use the oven either and the previous recipe was perfect 😊
We loved your recipe prior to it being updated, would you possibly have a link to the former method with out the step in the oven?
I’m so confused?! Where is the recipe for the stove top with the coconut milk, only stir once…. I’m having a brain fart on how much water and the timing 😭😭
Every single recipe I’ve tried of Nagi’s had been 5*. This is no different. I thought she finally failed this time bc it was too simple. Nope. Huge hit. I hate gluey rice and this was the total opposite. I didn’t have enough time to soak the rice either and I forgot to add the salt (though I added a bit in once it was done cooking). This will be a part of our regular rotation here. Better than any of the coconut rice I’ve had at any restaurant.
Excellent results even with forgetting to add salt, and choosing to omit the sugar.
No pot to scrub, the oven method using a glazed pot worked perfectly.
Rice was absolutely delicious! So fluffy. So yum. Will make this again for sure.
Magi have you changed this recipe recently? I don’t remember having to put it in the oven….
I need the stove top recipe. Went to make it today and didn’t have enough time to do this new baking one.
Yes! I think it’s changed. I used to cook this a lot and then I went to refer back to it and now it says to bake it. I will bake it next time as I do end up with burnt bits in my pot! Still an amazing recipe
Nagi! (Autocorrect!)
Yes I loved the old recipe. So sad it’s gone missing. Is there some way to get it back please please!
Another winner this one. I’m a “heretic” microwave rice maker 🙂 and it worked just fine done that way as well as fast – 8 minutes using Jasmin rice in 1200W microwave oven. This will have regular use in my place.
Hello I loved the stovetop version of this recipe but it looks like you’ve updated it, any way I can get the original stove top version?
Hi!
I love this recipe & thought I was so confused when I saw the oven version. I’m sure it is good too, as your coconut powder & the stovetop versions are fantastic! could you please send me the stovetop recipe too or really just the cooking time because I don’t remember how long I needed to cook it on the stove. Thank you! 🙂
Oh Nagi, youve updated this recipe on 14/1/23, was Restaurant Style Cocnut Rice, love it, all on stove top which we cooked regularly but didn’t print it 😥.
We will try the update tonight but could you please email me the original recipe please
I’m by in the same boat:( May I please have the original recipe that advises to simmer on stove with ONE quick stir then a simmer? I forgot how long to simmer for and did not print my favorite coconut rice recipe. Please help!
Me too please!!! Trying not to have to heat up the oven in the current energy situation (UK)
Me three! I am sure this recipe is more flavorful and authentic but I would love to have both options available. The stovetop was so good! Please email to me too.
You can look up web page archives and find it.
Please bring back the stove top method! 🙁
This was the best rice dish I have ever tasted. So good!
Did you change this recipe? It used to not be one that requires baking. Can you share the old recipe, please?
Hi Nagi – I love this oven coconut milk recipe.
Is it possible to modify the recipe so that coconut powder is used to make rice in the oven as well?
I had your recipe bookmarked and went to make it tonight, but I see it has changed. Any chance you can share the old recipe (stovetop) with the coconut milk?) It was no fail for me, but can’t remember the timing or exact amount of water (I think it was 1/2 cup?)
On another note, I have so many of your recipes bookmarked – made the Goan Fish Curry last week, which is a family favourite.