1. Choose Jasmine or long grain Basmati rice for this recipe. Avoid short grain or heavily starchy rices. 
2. Make sure to rinse the rice before cooking it. Rinsing the rice removes any excess starch which is KEY to fluffy rice. Especially when cooking the rice in milk, not water or stock.
3. You can use butter or avocado oil to sauté the onions for the recipe. Butter will infuse the rice with a buttery taste.
4. The onions add a sweetness that compliments the rice so well, but you need to make sure you cook it well. Avoid undercooking the onions as they become overpowering.
5. Sautéing the rice before adding in the liquid is KEY to fluffy rice. You just need 1 - 1.5 minutes of mixing in the rice with the butter/oil continuously. 
6. Measuring your coconut milk is KEY. For every cup of rice, add 1.5 cups of coconut milk. Don't add more, or else the rice will be mushy and gooey.
7. For perfectly fluffy rice, bring the coconut milk to a boil and then drop the heat to the absolute LOWEST setting. Cover the post and let the rice cook on super low for 18 minutes untouched. At that point you can take off the lid, fluff the rice, cover and let it cook for another 3-5 minutes covered.
8. The seasoning blend we used here were based on the original owner of the recipe and we haven't changed a thing! We have tried removing the seasoning, and found it more bland. 
9. You can use peanuts if you don't have cashews for this recipe. Likewise you can use parsley instead of cilantro. 

How to store Leftovers, Freeze and Reheat Coconut Rice?

• Store leftovers of coconut rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. 
• To freeze the leftovers, place them in a ziploc bag removing excess air. Freeze it for up to 3 months.
• If you have frozen rice, thaw it first before reheating.
• To reheat the rice, you can microwave it for the quickest solution. Otherwise you can add the rice in a pot with 1-2 tablespoons of water, low heat, cover the post and reheat for 10-12 minutes.

Do I need to Rinse the Rice?

YES! It's crucial to rinse the rice here to avoid mushy coconut rice. When rinsing the rice, use a fine mesh strainer and wait until the water runs clear. This way you'll know that there's no more starch. We do this because we're using ONLY coconut milk to cook the rice, which is heavy and rich compared to water. 

Can I season it differently?

You can use JUST salt for this recipe and it will taste SO GOOD! We loved the splash of cinnamon, garlic powder and bouillon as this is how we tried it first time. We tested the recipe without and found that adding seasoning is much better!

How to Make Coconut Rice in a Rice Cooker

If you have an instant pot or rice cooker, you can make this recipe just as easily. If you have an instant pot, follow the process of sautéing the onions, rice and cashews. Then add the  coconut milk and switch to rice cooking mode. 

If your rice cooker doesn't have a sauté mode, it's best to do so in a separate skillet. Prepare everything in a skillet, then add all ingredients in to the rice cooker along with coconut milk. Set the cooking as per the machine and it's ready.