Coconut rice

Coconut riceis a dish prepared by cookingwhite riceincoconut milkorcoconut flakes.As both thecoconutand the rice-plant are commonly found in the tropics all around the world, coconut rice too, is found in many cultures throughout the world. It spans across the equator fromSoutheast Asia, theIndian subcontinent,South America,Central America, West Africa,East Africa, theCaribbeanandOceania.
Rice cooked in coconut milk is common inIndonesian cuisine, with each region having developed their own version of it. Plain coconut rice is usually made fromwhite rice, coconut milk,ginger,fenugreekseed,lemongrassandpandanleaves, with the most common coconut rice recipe in Indonesia beingnasi udukfrom Jakarta.Other coconut milk rice recipes includenasi gurihfromAcehandJavanesenasi liwet.Nasi kuningis Indonesian yellow rice which is similar to coconut rice with addition ofturmericas a coloring and flavoring agent. Other types of coconut rice recipes take the form ofdumplings, such asburasafrom Makassar andlemangpopular inMinangkabau.
Nasi lemak(coconut milk andpandan leaf) is the most popular coconut rice recipe inMalaysia. It is considered anational dishof Malaysia.
InBurmese cuisine,ohn htamin(အုန်းထမင်း), as rice cooked with coconut milk is called, is a ceremonialstaple food, often eaten in lieu of plain white rice.In the most basic version ofohn htamin, rice is cooked with a base of coconut milk, along with fried shallots and salt, adding to the rice's savory and rich flavours.Ohn htaminis commonly paired withBurmesesibyancurries.
InThai cuisine, sweet coconut sticky rice is very popular as a dessert or sweet snack. It is made withglutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar, salt and water and most famously paired with slices of ripemangoand an additional dollop of coconut cream. Outside of themangoseason, it will also be eaten with other fruits or semi-sweet dishes.Other popular coconut rice desserts arekhao tom mat, where sweetbananais steamed inside sticky rice while wrapped in a banana leaf,khao lam, where the rice and coconut milk mixture is steamed inside a section of bamboo, andkhao niao kaeo, a very sweet dessert of glutinous rice, coconut milk, and large amounts ofsugar, and most often pink or green in color.
In India, coconut rice (కొబ్బరి అన్నం Telugu, ಕಾಯಿ ಅನ್ನ in Kannada, தேங்காய் சாதம் in Tamil.) famous in the southern regions. In India, coconut rice usually made frombasmati ricewith mild coconut flavours acquired from coconut milk, and commonly served withcurries.It is made with coconut flakes (or grated or desiccated/dry coconut). One way to make this dish is to make the rice separately (preferably using a rice variety which is light and fluffy when cooked) and then mixing it with the coconut mixture (coconut flakes toasted in sesame/coconut oil and spiced with paprika, nuts, curry powder/leaves, and other spices).
In Sri Lanka, coconut rice is often referred to as "milk rice" orkiribath. It is widely served across the nation on special occasions. It is accompanied bylunu miris, a spicy onionsambolground with red chilli, onions, tomato, lime and salt with umbalakada.
On theCaribbeancoast ofColombiaand Panama,arroz con cocois a typical side dish for fish. It is made withwhite ricecooked in a base ofcoconut milkand combined with shredded coconut meat, water, salt, raisins (optional), and sugar.
In theCaribbeancoast ofHonduras, rice is traditionally cooked withcoconut oil,coconut milk,garlic,onionsand red or black beans, a hearty dish known as "riceandbeans". This plate is especially popular among Hondurans of African ancestry (Garifuna), but like many other Garifuna plates and foods with African influence, it is popular among all Hondurans and regarded as a typical Honduran food by Hondurans of all racial backgrounds.
In Puerto Rico coconut rice is usually served withfishand sweetplantains.  The rice is sautéed with coconut oil and salt, shredded coconut and coconut milk are then added with the option of garlic, onions, cilantro, raisins, andkumquats. The rice is then covered with abanana leafduring the cooking process. Another popular coconut rice dish isarroz con dulce(coconut rice pudding) a dessert made withmilk, coconut milk,coconut cream,raisins, vanilla, rum, sugar, ginger, and spice. Puerto Ricanrice puddingis popular in Colombia, Cuba, and Venezuela.
In Samoa, coconut rice is known asAlaisa fa'apopoand is made by cooking white rice in coconut milk. A variation of coconut rice known asKoko alaisais made with the addition ofcocoaand orange leaves, often eaten as a snack or dessert. Coconut rice is typically eaten on its own or as an accompaniment to dishes such asMoa fa'asaina.