One-Pot Turmeric Coconut Rice With Greens

One-Pot Turmeric Coconut Rice With Greens
Romulo Yanes for The New York Times. Food Stylist:Vivian Lui
Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
4(7,890)
Notes
Read community notes

No matter how you modify this one-pot rice, it can’t help but simultaneously comfort and enliven: The rice is cooked with turmeric, black pepper and rich coconut milk, which is all brightened by a mix of coconut, sesame seeds and lime. The greens, which conveniently cook on top of the rice, can be swapped out for anything that steams in 10 minutes, such as frozen peas or edamame, green beans, broccoli, grated carrots or sliced fennel. While a meal all on its own, this rice would also be great accompanied by tofu, white fish, chicken thighs or stewed black beans. Prepared as written, this dish has a relatively pure, mild flavor, so if you want more oomph, add more turmeric and saffron and season with plenty of salt and pepper as you cook.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2cups long-grain rice, such as jasmine or basmati
  • ½cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1tablespoon white or black sesame seeds
  • 2tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1scallion, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 1teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
  • 1(14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
  • Pinch of saffron (optional)
  • Kosher salt
  • 1medium bunch kale, spinach or Swiss chard
  • 1lime
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

369 calories; 36 grams fat; 31 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 865 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Rinse rice until water runs clear. Drain and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    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.

  3. Step 3

    In the same pot, melt the coconut oil over medium-low. Add the scallion whites, turmeric and ½ teaspoon black pepper and cook, stirring, until aromatic and lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Add the rice, coconut milk, saffron (if using), and 1½ teaspoons salt. Fill the empty can of coconut milk with water and add it to the pot. Give the mixture a good stir to separate any lumps and bring to a boil over medium-high.

  5. Step 5

    Once boiling, cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    As rice cooks, remove and discard the tough stems of the leafy greens, if needed, and cut or tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. When the rice has cooked for 10 minutes, arrange the greens on top of the rice in an even layer and season well with salt and pepper. Cover, and cook until the rice is tender, 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 5 minutes.

  7. Step 7

    As rice rests, zest the lime and cut it into 4 wedges. Add ½ teaspoon zest to the coconut-sesame mixture, along with the scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

  8. Step 8

    Gently stir the greens into the rice using a spatula or fork, season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls. Sprinkle the coconut mixture on top and serve with a lime wedge for squeezing over.

Ratings

4 out of 5
7,890 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

After reading the reviews, I made the following changes to make this dish more flavorful. I sautéed 3 large minced garlic cloves and 1 inch piece of ginger with 5 thinly sliced scallion whites. I used one can of coconut milk and homemade chicken broth to cook the rice. Before serving, I added one half bunch of cilantro leaves as well as the coconut mixture. The lime zest and juice also add nice flavor. I will gladly make this again!

Made with light coconut milk, tasted great. Calories per serving is inaccurate- even using light coconut milk, this dish is close to 520 kcal/serving for 4 servings, not 369 as noted. Full fat coconut milk adds another 100 kcal, bringing total to 620/serving.

Hi guys! We saw your notes about this dish being bland, so we reached out to Ali Slagle, the developer. She said this dish is meant to be pretty mild despite the color, but if you want more oomph, add more turmeric and saffron, and don't skimp on salt and pepper while cooking.

This was excellent. I added chopped snap peas, beet greens and prawns that steamed in the last 5 minutes. Gave it all a toss and added a little water to the pot for a little extra steam. Will totally make his again. Might try it with some white fish

A good recipe with potential to be great if you add some stuff to enhance the coconut and turmeric flavors. I added 4 garlic cloves and chili flakes to the scallions mixture when sautéed plus a bunch more scallions. Was going to add ginger but forgot, will definitely add some next time. I added some cilantro before serving, extra lime zest and some more salt&pepper. Used a mix of baby spinach/arugula and baby kale and it was delicious.

Cooked recipe as listed. Added firm tofu with the greens. Delish!

The ratio of rice & liquid= 1:1, 1 cup rice to 1 cup liquid, in this recipe the coconut milk is liquid. As for rice, it depends on the type of rice you use, long grain rice is 1:1, short/round grain rice use a little bit less liquid as in 1/2 TBSP less. Basmati/brown rice, you need 1TBSP more. You readjust as you try according to your taste. This formula is for plain rice & no vegetables add-in after. If you add-in vegetables, you need the cooked rice to be on the dry side bc the veggies yield

Very good,but kind of bland and makes a lot. Added a handful of toasted, chopped pistachios and some red pepper flakes. Golden raisins might make a good addition too. Have plenty of leftovers to serve as a side, maybe with some roasted salmon?

I used light coconut milk, and I added about a tbsp of fish sauce because the base seemed a little bland. Spinach and tofu on top. Delicious!

I made this with a lot of additions that were recommended, I added 4 green onions, a jalapeño, and fresh ginger. I used low-fat coconut milk and then for the water I used chicken broth and at the end also added some broccoli and shredded chicken thigh. It was delicious!

Good reviews here too. I threw in a can of chickpeas for protein (added in step 6).

I used 3 scallions, garlic, and a heaping tablespoon of green curry paste in the rice. Used a cube of vegetable bouillon instead of salt. If you use the two cans of liquid the recipe calls for, you'd end up with 28oz--far too much for the typical 1:1 rice to liquid ratio. I added enough water to the coconut milk to make it 2 cups, or 16 fluid ounces. I cooked the rice for 10 minutes after adding the greens and that resulted in well cooked, not-mushy rice.

Made as listed (w saffron) and cooked firm tofu on the side. It makes a MOUNTAIN of rice. Felt like it needed more salt and was a little bland for a main course but great as a side and 1/2 the recipe. Would make again.

Added Coriander, red pepper flakes, and garlic to step 3. Used Veggie stock along with coconut milk and added Shrimp at the end. Yummy! Extra spices are necessary, otherwise would be pretty bland

I made this with brown rice. I used the same amounts of liquid but increased the cooking time quite a bit--20 minutes before adding spinach, grated carrots, and frozen shrimp. Cooked 15 min more and let sit for 5 min. Added fish sauce to coconut milk and red pepper flakes. Definitely don't skip the toasted coconut/sesame seed garnish! Trader Joes is now selling unsweetened coconut chips--bigger than flakes and they worked perfectly in this!

A solid weeknight recipe. Great building block rice dish to accent with whatever greens and protein you may desire. I added spinach and seared fish fillets tonight. Quick and delicious!

Doubled this for a crowd. Started with all the scallion whites, a good tablespoon of minced garlic and similar amount of fresh ginger, per suggestions. Used kale and folded it into the rice to cook it better as it def didn’t soften much on top of the rice. did come out well and worked great as a side/veg for chile crisp-basted chicken thighs.

do you like the taste of air? this dish is for you!

Someone said fish sauce - seconding that! I made as described, but I reduced the amount of rice to 1.5 cups (and reduced the water accordingly). It was pretty nice, but the fish sauce really brought it together. I’ll make this again!

Added to this recipe but couldn't get good flavor. I rate a 2.

I'll definitely make this again! I used kale and added firm tofu cubes along with it. I added red pepper flakes and will use more scallions next time. I used brown basmati rice and it was still a bit chewy after an hour of cooking. I didn't want a MOUNTAIN of rice so I used 1.5 cups with the full can of coconut milk and a half-can of water, but it came out kind of oily so I'll probably use the full amount of rice next time--I ate a fair amount as a main dish so it won't be too much.

I followed the instructions, but did not put in enough water (per some others' recommendations to reduce - but rice was crunchy at 20 min) and had to put it all back on the stove top with more water, thereby overcooking the greens. Way too much salt for my taste so will dial that back next time, and added cooked shrimp, which made it more satisfying. Will consider just cooking in rice cooker next time with spices, adding the mix-ins afterward. Tasty, anyway.

Added ginger and garlic to the scallions at the beginning, delicious. Served with toasted sweet potatoes and chick peas.

This recipe is very good, but I would make a couple changes: 1. add more toasted sesame seeds & omit the toasted coconut; 2. add more scallions (5 or 6). I cooked it in an Instant Pot for 4 minutes with a 10 minute natural release, using 10 oz water, rather than a full can because less water is required when cooking rice in the IP.

Fabulously, delicious! I used kale, but it was too tough. Had to cook it extra and that made the rice gummy. Will use chard or arugula or some other softer green next time.

Added some cod to the top of the rice for a perfect, easy dinner.

Delicious! I added a generous pinch of saffron, otherwise I stayed true to the recipe. Mild, but rich in flavor and that squeeze of lime before serving brought out the perfect acidity to the sweet coconut. Very simple to make!

This was a great, soothing dish that I was able to enjoy while on chemo for breast cancer. So few things are tasty at this time. Made as is and served with steamed cod. Heaven. Reheated the next day with stick to turn into more of a soup. Will make again!

Unexpectedly fabulous. I filled the coconut milk can with chicken broth instead of water. I was lazy and skipped the lime zest and juice, and I used shallots instead of scallions because that’s what I had. I had it for dinner with two fried eggs and it absolutely hit the spot on this cold, snowy night.

Wonderful recipe as written and can easily be tweaked. I used lots of swiss chard and served it as a main dish with curried chickpeas (which were spicy!) on the side. Mild in flavor, it was starchy and filling - perfect for a cold winter night.

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