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Turmeric Coconut Crunch Rice with Wilted Greens

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: coconut cream, coconut flakes, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, lime, lime zest, rice, sesame seeds, spinach, turmeric
Servings: 8 people
Author: GFchow @ gfchow.com

Ingredients

  • 2 cups long-grain rice jasmine or basmati
  • ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds white, black or a combination of both
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1-2 scallion thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 1-2 teaspoon ground turmeric to taste
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 2-3 teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • 1-1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper divided plus more as needed
  • 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk or cream I prefer cream
  • 14 oz. water or broth (either vegetable or chicken) or fill the empty coconut milk can
  • 1 medium bunch kale, spinach or swiss chard
  • 1 lime zested
  • Lime slices for garnish

Instructions

  • Rinse rice until water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
  • In a medium pot or Dutch oven, toast the coconut and sesame seeds over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. (Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning.) Transfer to a small bowl. Wipe out the pot.
  • In the same pot, melt the coconut oil over medium-low. Add the scallion whites, turmeric, garlic, ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and cook, stirring, until aromatic and lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the rice, coconut milk, and 1/2 tsp salt. Fill the empty can of coconut milk with water (or broth) and add it to the pot. Give the mixture a good stir to separate any lumps and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Once boiling, cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • As rice cooks, remove and discard any tough stems of the leafy greens, if needed. When the rice has cooked for 10 minutes, arrange the greens on top of the rice in an even layer and season well with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook until the rice is tender, 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 5 minutes.
  • As rice rests, zest the lime and cut it into 4 wedges. Add zest to the coconut-sesame mixture, along with the scallion greens. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  • Gently stir the greens into the rice using a spatula or fork, season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls. Sprinkle the crunch mixture on top and serve with a lime wedge.

Notes

I serve this as a side dish but it could very easily become a one-pot meal if protein is added.
Go heavy on the sesame/coconut/lime/scallion crunch.  It's what makes this dish!