South Indian Coconut Rice + Video

This South Indian Coconut Rice Recipe is a mildly spiced and light rice dish cooked with fresh coconut. A perfect light recipe that can be served along with kurma, sambar or a thin South Indian curry. Here is how to make coconut rice recipe (Step by Step and Video).

Rice and coconut – oh, the combination seems so great, right?

This South Indian Coconut Rice Recipe recommends cooking rice with grated coconut along with dals, curry leaves and more.

A simple meal, that is apt for your weeknight dinner or to pack in your Lunchboxes.

Coconut is an ingredient that defines South Indian cuisine.

It is added to almost every dish, be it Chicken in Coconut Gravy, Ulli Theeyal, Coconut Chutneys and even desserts like Nariyal Ki Barfi.

And I absolutely love the flavor coconut brings to these dishes.

South Indian Coconut Rice Recipe is often made during the festivals of Navratri and Pongal.

The prasadam or naivedyam at temples usually comprises of curd rice, coconut rice, and pongal.

Although freshly grated coconut is the best to use, you can even use grated and stored coconut, which may not taste the same.

This rice is also a one-pot dish since you can even add different assorted veggies to make it filling and wholesome.

You can also try other South Indian rice recipes for your weekday meals such as – Curd Rice, South Indian Tomato Rice, South Indian Lemon Rice, and Ellu Sadam. 

So, make this easy peasy South Indian coconut rice recipe for your weekday meals and serve it with a curry, dal or even simple raita.

Here is how to make South Indian Coconut Rice Recipe.

What is Coconut Rice?

South Indian Coconut Rice Recipe is a mildly spiced and light South Indian dish cooked with fresh coconut.

It has a delicious taste and is also easy to make.

Rice is cooked along with fresh coconut and is tempered along with dal, curry leaves, dry red chillies, and cashews.

Coconut is roasted until light brown and then mixed with rice, as it lends a beautiful recipe to this dish. 

What to serve with Coconut Rice?

Sambar, Rasam, Kurma or any spicy thin South Indian curry will go well with coconut rice.

You can also serve it with pickle, raita, and papad.

A spicy curry-like Kerala Style Mutton Curry or an Egg Roast pairs well with it too.

Can you freeze Coconut Rice?

Coconut rice can be frozen in a freezer-safe container.

To reheat it, first, thaw on the counter for 2 hours and then microwave until warm.

How to make Coconut Rice with Coconut Milk?

In some homes, Coconut Rice is made using freshly extracted coconut milk.

Rice is cooked in this milk and then tempered. You can try it too.

All you have to do is replace water with thin coconut milk while cooking the rice.

Keep the remaining process the same.

What if I don’t like hard Chana Dal?

I like the crunch that chana dal gives to this dish. But I know some people who don’t like it.

In that case, you can soak the chana dal for a few hours and then drain and use it in tempering.

It will not be hard and crunchy then.

How to make Coconut Rice Step by Step

Heat coconut oil in a pan.

Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal and hing to it. Let them crackle for a few seconds.

Add curry leaves, dry red chilies and cashew nuts and fry till cashew nuts are slightly browned.

Add green chilies and grated coconut and fry for 2-3 minutes until coconut is slightly browned.

Now add salt and cooked rice and mix gently. Serve hot with Curd or any curry.

South Indian Coconut Rice Recipe

3.75 from 4 votes

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Coconut Rice Recipe

This South Indian Coconut Rice Recipe is a mildly spiced and light rice dish cooked with coconut flakes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 221 kcal

Author Neha Mathur

Ingredients

• 2 cups Cooked rice
• 2 tbsp Coconut oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 2 tsp Urad dal
• 2 tsp Chana dal
• 1/4 tsp Heeng
• 15-20 Curry leaves
• 3-4 Dry red chillies
• 10-12 Cashew nuts
• 1 Green chilli Chopped
• 1 and 1/2 cup Fresh grated coconut
• Salt To taste

Instructions

1. Heat coconut oil in a pan.

2. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal and heeng to it.
   

3. Let them crackle for a few seconds.
   

4. Add curry leaves, dry red chilies and cashew nuts and fry till cashew nuts are slightly browned.
   

5. Add green chilies and grated coconut and fry for 2-3 minutes until coconut is slightly browned.
   

6. Now add salt and cooked rice and mix gently.
   

7. Serve hot with Curd or any curry.

Recipe Notes

You can cook the rice in thin coconut milk instead of water for a more profound coconut taste.

Soak the chana dal if you do not like crunchy dal in tempering.

Nutrition Facts

Coconut Rice Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 221 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Sodium 42mg2%

Potassium 184mg5%

Carbohydrates 30g10%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 465IU9%

Vitamin C 124.8mg151%

Calcium 28mg3%

Iron 1.4mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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