Indian Coconut Rice Recipe

A staple rice dish from South India

Coconut is abundantly grown in the south of India. That's why you will see many traditional south Indian recipes with coconut as a key ingredient, like Avial or Keerai Kootu.

This vegan rice recipe is another way of using coconut in daily food. It is a very simple preparation where rice is seasoned with coconut, nuts, spices, and herbs.

It has a savory, nutty, mildly sweet, and spicy flavor.

Why make this

Like I mentioned before, this vegan South Indian recipe is a classic staple dish.

Rice - You can use any leftover rice for this recipe. You can also use freshly prepared it. Just cook it well in advance and let it cool down completely.

Soaking them before cooking will ensure that the grains don't stick and become mushy. Basmati rice can also be used.

Coconut - Traditionally, we use freshly grated coconut for this recipe. But if that's unavailable to you, use frozen or unsweetened shredded/desiccated coconut.

You can also use coconut slices. Just quickly pulse it in a grinder and use it.

I have tried with all kinds of coconut and it works fine. In this recipe, I have used frozen grated coconut that I got from an Indian grocery store.

Nuts and lentils - Chana dal, and urad dal give the recipe the required crunch. You can also add peanuts and cashews for a nutty flavor.

Spices and herbs - mustard seeds, asafoetida (skip to make the coconut rice gluten-free), green chilies, curry leaves, and cilantro give this dish the authentic South Indian flavor.

Oil - Coconut oil is preferred as it lends a wonderful aroma to the dish but you can also use vegan ghee or any other vegetable oil.

The only prep work required here is to grate coconut and cook rice if doing it fresh.

1. Heat coconut oil in a pan. Temper mustard seeds once the oil is hot. As it splutters, add asafoetida, urad dal and chana dal. You can also add peanuts and cashews at this point.
2. Once they all turn light golden, tear and add the curry leaves, minced green chilies and half the cilantro. Saute for 2 minutes.
3. Then add the grated coconut and salt. Give it a mix and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Lastly, add the cooked rice. Mix it all together and cook for 2 more minutes. Check the seasoning and add salt if needed. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and take it off the flame.

Serving suggestions

I like to enjoy this dish as is. However, you can serve it with some chutney on the side. Some even like it with some sambhar, curry, or even potato roast.

My grandmom used to enjoy it with some Indian pickle and papad on the side. You can try that combo as well.

Serve this thengai sadam as an evening snack or for breakfast. You can also pack it in lunch boxes, picnic baskets, or take it along on your short road trip.

In fact, it is also made as prasadam/neivedyam, for festivals and celebrations. In such cases, use freshly prepared rice instead of leftover rice.

This recipe of coconut rice is extremely flavorful which is why it's an ideal choice for a potluck! This is a hit with the crowd.

If you have difficulty chewing the fried lentils, soak the chana dal and urad dal in water for 15 minutes before cooking. This will soften them considerably.

To make it gluten-free, skip adding the asafoetida. Coconut oil is preferred in this rice recipe but you can also use vegan ghee or any other vegetable oil.

When using frozen shredded coconut, thaw it and dry roast it as well if needed to remove the excess moisture. Use dried red chilies instead of green chilies if need be.

Add some cooked beans and legumes like chickpeas, black-eyed peas, black beans, kidney beans to give this carb-rich dish a boost of protein.

Choosing the right rice

Using leftover rice for this recipe is preferred. However, you can also cook it fresh. Just ensure that the grains are long, separate grains, and don't clump together. 

If doing so, then cook it in advance and cool it down completely before using it. Use any rice variety like Basmati, Ponni, Sona Masoori, Surti Kolam, or even Jasmine rice.

Tip - When you order takeout at an Indian restaurant and it comes with a large portion of white Basmati rice, use any leftover rice to make coconut or any other flavored rice recipe.

For more flavor, when cooking Basmati rice mix a little coconut milk from the carton along with water.

Besides Basmati rice, you can also make this Indian coconut rice with brown rice, cauliflower rice, or any other alternate grains like quinoa.

How to store it

You can make this dish in advance and store it in the fridge for 1-2 days. Be mindful if using fresh coconut, it can go bad in a day or two.