Coconut Rice Recipe (Nigerian Style)

Coconut rice is called Jollof Rice with a twist. It looks the same as the Jollof Rice but the aroma and taste are different.

The only difference between the usual jollof rice and Coconut rice is the use of coconut milk and the coconuty taste

Coconut rice is not just a healthy meal, it is also delicious, and especially when you use matured-sweet coconuts.

Rice and coconut go “side by side” throughout all the Asia.

Growing of these plants is appropriate for the same climate, so it is not surprising that they often occur together in different dishes.

Khao Maprao, or Coconut rice, is common in Southeast Asia, including Thailand.

This item can act as a dessert in case it is prepared from sticky rice like sushi. And for garnish, you can take other selections of rice (Jasmine or Basmati)

Nigerian Coconut Rice is always a welcomed dish in many homes, parties or events.

The simple combination of coconut, rice, and spices brings a rich taste and aroma to the dinner table – and will certainly have your guests asking for more!

This recipe is for Jollof Coconut Rice, there’s another version of Nigerian Coconut Rice which can be made plain without stews or tomatoes.

Thereby making it look more like plain Boiled rice, but with a distinctive coconut taste.

Preparations before Cooking the Nigerian Coconut Rice

Step 1: Finely chop onion – set aside cut tomatoes into large chunks – set aside. Mince chili pepper – set aside.

Step 2: If you are using a whole chicken, wash and cut the whole chicken into pieces.

Place the pieces in a pot; add water till it just covers the pieces of chicken, add the chopped onions, stock cubes and thyme, and start cooking till tender.

Then add salt to taste. Put the pieces of chicken in a sieve to drain, and then fry with vegetable oil.

You can also grill it in an oven. This is to give it a golden look which is more presentable

Step 3: If you don’t have the canned coconut milk, here’s an easy method on how to extract coconut milk for coconut rice.

Firstly, you should spend some time looking for matured cocoanut.

One big cocoanut would be enough for 4 cups of rice which would probably serve a family of five or six.

When you eventually find the matured-dried cocoanut, the shell is usually dried.

Break it, take a bite, if it is not sweet, continue searching. It is important to buy matured and sweet cocoanut, it makes a whole lot of difference. It should be somewhat sugary.

Then, crack it open (we don’t need the water inside; you can drink it-very healthy). Separate the softer inner part from the hard shell using a small knife.

After that, chop the coconuts into tiny bits and then put it in a blender (alternatively, you can grate the coconut with a grater) with a few cups of warm water. Blend for about 6 minutes.

Lastly, pour the contents of the blender into a small sieve and drain the milk.

Apply pressure to make sure you squeeze all the milk out. You can add more warm water to the coconut shaft and drain again.

Recipe for cooking Coconut Rice

The Ingredients for cocoanut rice Include (Serving – 6 Persons) 3 cups rice (long grain or basmati rice)

• 1 tablespoon of Coconut oil
• Chicken (whole chicken or drumsticks)
• Coconut (one big ball).
• 5 cups water
• 1 medium onion
• 2-3 medium tomatoes
• Spices: 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon of white pepper
• One tablespoon of minced chili
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tablespoon of dried)
• Salt – to taste
• 2 heaped tablespoons of crayfish powder
• 1-2 stock cubes

How to Make Coconut Rice

1. Firstly, place a wide cooking pot on medium heat. Then, add in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, onion and cook until translucent and fragrant.
2. Secondly, add in the ground or sliced tomatoes, minced pepper and spices, then stir. Cover and leave to simmer on low-medium heat for 10 minutes.
3. Thirdly, add your coconut milk, meat stock, and water into the tomato mix. Stir. Cover and bring to a rolling boil. Stir again. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
4. Fourthly, add the washed rice. Make sure that the liquid in the pot is at the same level as the rice in the pot, if not, add some more to top it up. Stir. Reduce heat to low-medium.
5. After that, place a sheet of foil over the pot. Place the lid over it and properly seal the edges with foil (this is a very vital step).
6. Lastly, set a timer for like 30 minutes and let it go! Don’t open the pot until the time is up

Please Note: By covering the pot with foil & then a lid, you can get away with using less liquid. The rice grains are gently steamed & infused instead of being boiled.

The result? Perfect coconut rice

Serve a plate of this Nigerian dish with salad, coleslaw, moi moi, fried plantains (dodo), cooked, fried or grilled chicken.

Aside from chicken, you can also use goat meat, dry fish, beef or assorted meat to cook a tasty coconut rice meal.