Green Coconut Rice with Crispy Curry Leaf Cashews
A wonderfully coconut & creamy rice dish that would be great served alongside a fabulous curry but equally on its own with a good pickle or atchar on the side.
The dish is a combination of my favourite Asian things, limes, toasted nuts, curry leaves and green chillies. The crispy cashew curry leaf topping is a MUST so don’t skip this if you can.
Good curries to serve with this dish
Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Coconut Curry with Spinach – A hearty, comforting curry featuring sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and spinach in a spiced coconut base. Its creamy texture and mild heat complement the fragrant rice perfectly.
Thai Green Vegetable Curry – A vibrant, herbaceous curry loaded with seasonal vegetables and infused with homemade or quality store-bought green curry paste. The fresh flavors and lightness of this dish make it an excellent match for the coconut rice
Adre’s Quick Thai(ish) Curry – A speedy, adaptable curry that brings together bold Thai-inspired flavors. Its simplicity and zestiness provide a delightful contrast to the creamy rice
Suggested side
Quick Yogurt Flatbreads with Spiced Butter – These soft, flavourful flatbreads are perfect for scooping up the rice and curry, adding a delightful texture and taste to the meal.​
Green Coconut Rice with Crispy Curry Leaves
Equipment
- powerful food processor or NutriBullet
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice (300g)
- bunch fresh coriander
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 cups water
- bunch spring onions washed well, kept whole
- 3 green mild chillies split in half, seeds removed
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 limes zest and juice to taste
- 1 cup Greek style thick yogurt (to serve)
- pinch cumin (to top yogurt, to serve)
- salt & pepper
Cashew Curry Leaf Topping
- 80 g raw cashews
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- handful curry leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c
- Start by washing the rice over a sieve until the water runs clear, it's an important step to rid the rice of any excess starch and add to a medium saucepan (with a lid).
- Blend the coriander and water (2 cups) to a smooth green liquid.
- Add the green liquid and coconut milk to the saucepan with rice, adding a pinch of salt, bring to a very gentle simmer, stir, and cook the rice, gently for 15-20 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked. Taste a grain to see if you are happy with the texture. Take the rice off the heat, fluff with a fork and put the lid back on, steaming the rice for 5min.
- While the rice cooks, prepare the topping. Add cashews to a baking tray, toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast until golden. Add curry leaves and another tbsp olive oil, toss gently, and roast for 2 more minutes until crisp.
- Lets make the smoky chillies and spring onions, heat a large non stick pan to piping hot, adding a tiny drizzle oil, add the spring onions and chillies (|cut side up) to the pan, I like to add a heavy pot on the veggies to ensure full contact with the hot pan, let it fry for a bit, checking the colour before turning the onions and chilli over to char on the other side, once happy with the colour, remove and set aside.
- To make the dressing, toss the olive oil, lime zest, juice and pinch of salt together, add the charred spring onions and chillies and coat well.
- Once the rice has finished steaming, add the rice to a pretty plate, add the dressing with the spring onions, and a few dollops yogurt and finally the cashew and curry topping. Add a pinch of the cumin over the yogurt. Serve with remaining yogurt on the side and limes. Enjoy!
