I am not a big fan of savory dishes with coconut in them, but a trip to Belize changed my mind – at least about rice with coconut.
You see, when I was a kid, I really only ate the sugar-coated, shredded coconut that came in a bag. You know, the kind you find in the baking goods aisle at the grocery store? I loved macaroons, the frosting on German chocolate cake, Brach’s Neapolitan coconut sundae candies, and eating handfuls of coconut right out of the bag. Real coconuts were too exotic for Northern Utah, and this was before coconut milk and coconut water were readily available to the masses.
It wasn’t until I reached my 20s and had moved away to the big city of Salt Lake that I discovered that coconut could be used in very different ways – like in curry or a cream base to vegetables and poached meats. And the distinct flavor of coconut mixed with these things just never tasted right to me. I kept picturing sugar.
Fast forward to Belize earlier this year. While there, we stayed at a lodge where we slept in tree houses and sat on the porch watching 8-foot iguanas bask in the sun. The owner was a fantastic cook, and everyday for dinner, prepared a meal for us that was accompanied by her signature Belizean coconut rice. It was phenomenal and I’ve been trying to reverse-engineer the recipe (which she wouldn’t divulge) ever since.
This past weekend, I finally found a recipe for basic coconut rice that I think did the trick without me having to experiment much. I toasted the rice and added in roasted pineapple, cashews, raisins, and green onions to make it a more substantial side dish for a potluck dinner where grilled salmon was being served.
The thing about this rice recipe is that it is not overtly coconutty. The coconut flavor is more of a mild aftertaste, and combines well with the sauteed onions and garlic in the recipe.
And, while it may seem exotic, the recipe uses ingredients you can easily find at your local grocery store: rice, fruit and vegetables, raisins, and coconut milk (usually in the Asian foods section of the store).
In other words, you can take a trip to Belize without leaving the kitchen.
Coconut Rice Pilaf with Roasted Pineapple, Cashews, and Raisins
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup diced onions
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1½ cup basmati or other long-grain white rice
- 1 cup coconut milk (not coconut water or cream)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup raisins
- 1¼ cup pineapple chunks (roasted, fresh pineapple or canned pineapple)
- ½ cup cashews
- 3 chopped green onions
Instructions
- Heat a medium-sized pot to medium-high heat.
- Add 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil and coat pan bottom; add onions, and garlic. Sautee until translucent.
- Add remaining 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil and rice to pot. Mix until rice is well-coated with the oil. Let sit for a minute or two, stir rice and repeat until rice is well-toasted. This process toasts the rice (it will become more white and even golden brown), giving it a nuttier flavor.
- Add coconut milk, water, and salt. Stir, reduce heat to medium heat, cover with a lid. Stir every few minutes to keep from burning on the bottom.
- While rice cooks, roast 5 ½” rings of pineapple on the grill until lightly charred and heated through. (NOTE: you can also use 1 ¼ cup of drained, canned pineapple chunks). When the pineapple is cooked, cut out the core and chop into ½” chunks.
- Before rice is completely cooked – it will still look a little wet – stir raisins into rice. They will plump up while the rice finishes cooking.
- When rice is done – light and fluffy looking – give it a quick stir to separate the grains and stir in pineapple chunks, cashews, and green onions.
- Remove pot from heat, pour rice pilaf into a casserole dish or bowl and serve.
Photo Instructions
