Coconut rice is that perfect side dish that's a little more exciting than plain steamed rice, but still a plain enough of a canvas to accommodate many Thai and Asian dishes. It's easy to make, really as easy as cooking plain jasmine rice, but it adds a richness and aroma that can elevate your meal.

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a bowl of coconut rice with coconut garnish

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Coconut Rice in Thai Cuisine

While coconut rice is common in some Southeast Asian countries, in Thailand it's actually quite rare. In fact, I've seen more coconut rice offered in Thai restaurants in N. America than I ever saw in Thailand.

There is only one specific situation in which Thai people eat coconut rice: in an elegant set of dishes called kao mun som tum. The complete set has the coconut rice, green papaya salad, shredded sweet beef or pork jerky, chicken curry, and a spicy tamarind relish. It's was created for the royal family, hence the elaborateness of it. Today, it's hard to find, even I have only had it a couple of times, and never the complete set.

Oddly enough, N. American Thai restaurants have made it widely available. My guess is that Thai restaurant owners want to offer Westerners more than 1 option for side dishes because Westerners are used to having different kinds of carbs for their meals (potatoes cooked in various ways, for example), but Thai people only serve plain jasmine rice. And it caught on because...well...it's delicious and super easy!

Ingredients

You only need a few things to make coconut rice:

Jasmine rice
Water
Coconut milk
Sugar
Salt
Pandan leaf (optional)
Toasted dried coconut for garnish (optional)

a plate of coconut rice with toasted coconut on top

How to Make Coconut Rice

To make coconut rice in a rice cooker:

Combine water, coconut milk, sugar, salt and pandan leaf (if using) in the pot of a rice cooker and stir. Turn the rice cooker on and let it heat up for a few minutes, just to make sure the salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
Meanwhile, rinse the jasmine rice a few times, until the water runs mostly clear. Drain it very well in a sieve.
Add the rice to the rice cooker and stir to break up any lumps. Let the rice do its thing as per usual!
Once the rice cooker clicks, let the rice rest for another 10 minutes before opening then fluff the rice with a spatula.

To make coconut rice on the stovetop:

Rinse the jasmine rice a few times, until the water runs mostly clear. Drain it very well in a sieve.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, combine the water, coconut milk, sugar, salt and pandan leaf (if using). Turn the heat on low and stir it for a minute to make sure the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
Add the rice, stir to break up any lumps, and cover. Allow the rice to simmer on low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is fully cooked, about 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat immediately once the rice is done to avoid scorching the bottom. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes before opening and fluffing the rice.

What to Serve with Coconut Rice

Even though coconut rice is only served in one way in Thailand as mentioned above, it's actually quite versatile and can be served with a number of dishes. For example:

Green papaya salad and any pounded salads. This is the classic accompaniment, and the spicy, bright, tart flavours are balanced by the rich coconut rice. No green papaya? Corn and cucumber salad has a similar vibe and is fantastic with it.
Light curries. Because the coconut rice is already quite rich, lighter curries are better suited such as this red curry with chicken and winter melon.
Stir fries. Most stir fries are not too rich to pair with coconut rice, and many that are spicy and salty would be particularly great. This chicken and red curry stir fry (pad prik king) would be fantastic, as would this eggplant and Thai basil stir fry.
Grilled or fried meats. Coconut rice works with fried and grilled meats for the same reason sticky rice works : it holds up better to the chewy meat than the light and fluffy jasmine rice. Thai fried chicken, grilled chicken, this amazing steak salad, or my favourite grilled pork jowl would all do well with coconut rice.
Anything tart, salty, and spicy. Beyond Thai food, you can pair coconut rice with anything that's the opposite of rich and creamy. This is why in Malaysia they serve coconut rice with spicy sambal and salty crispy anchovies.

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