We used to be a rice family. It was one of those foods we all agreed we liked. Ed, my daughters, Meredith and Gillian, and me.

Unfortunately I made it so often that we reached a saturation point.

I had jumped the shark of rice cooking.

We were riced out.

For years.

A few weeks ago, Meredith got a rice cooker. She and her husband and family had a sudden yen for rice.

Which got me to thinking that Ed and I hadn’t had it in a long, long time.

So I went out and bought a package of jasmine rice and made this recipe for African Coconut Rice. It’s a little hot. A little sweet.

Ed said “wow, this is so nice. We haven’t had rice in so long. I miss it!”

I’m guessing there’s a lot of rice in our near future. White, brown, red. All sorts.

I just won’t overdo it this time. I hope.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3-4 scallions, chopped
1-2 serrano or habanero peppers, deseeded and chopped
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 cup white rice
1-3/4 cups coconut milk
salt to taste
Heat the vegetable oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the scallions and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften them. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the rice, stir, and pour in the coconut milk. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Raise the heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Boil for one minute. Turn the heat to low. Cover the pan and cook for 18-20 minutes or until the rice is tender and all the liquid in the pan has been absorbed.
Makes 4-6 servings
Tagged: coconut milk, rice, side dish, African Coconut Rice