Nigerian Coconut Rice is a beloved dish that showcases the delightful flavors of coconut as its primary ingredient. There are several variations of this dish, including Coconut Jollof Rice, Coconut Fried Rice, Vegetable Coconut Rice, and the usual Nigerian Coconut Rice. In this dish, coconut takes center stage, with all other ingredients working in harmony to enhance its rich and distinctive flavor.
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It’s a dish that captures the essence of Nigerian cuisine and is cherished by locals and appreciated by those who have the pleasure of tasting it. From the South-South where I hail from, the Urhobo-speaking tribe to be precise, cook coconut rice in a special way and always include the cuisine in traditional ceremonies like marriage, burial, and anniversaries.
Note that achieving a perfect Nigerian coconut rice is a delicate art as balancing the coconut’s milk is very essential. If you use too little, the dish might taste bland, but excessive coconut can make it become a pudding. To be honest, I enjoy the pudding style too.
Important Notes to Cooking Nigerian Coconut Rice
- When preparing your coconut rice, consider adjusting the cooking heat at different times to prevent burn.
- You have three options to create the milk base: fresh whole coconuts, canned coconut milk, or coconut powder. I prefer using fresh whole coconut to get that freshness I always believe it’s the best. However, it is important you use mature coconuts to ensure full and robust coconut flavor.
- You can decide to parboil your rice or cook directly depending on the quality of the rice and how you prefer cooking the usual white rice.
Ingredients to Prepare Nigerian Coconut Rice
- 2 cups of long-grain parboiled rice
- Homemade coconut milk from whole coconut or 1 can (400ml) of coconut milk
- Chicken broth (Optional)
- 1 big-size onion, finely sliced
- 3- 4 fresh pepper, finely chopped
- Fresh vegetables e.g., peas, and carrots (Optional)
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of curry powder
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- Seasoning cubes
- Salt to taste
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Directions to Prepare Nigerian Coconut Rice
- If using fresh whole coconut, break open two mature coconuts, cut them into small pieces, then place them in a blender, then blend to achieve almost smooth coconut paste.
- Get a good sieve with a big bowl, and pour the coconut paste into it to extract the milk from the chaff in the bowl. Then using your hands, use only 2 cups of water to further extract coconut milk from the chaff. Set coconut milk aside.
- Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Drain and set it aside.
- Slice onions and, chop peppers. Set aside.
- In a clean dry big pot, add vegetable oil over medium-high heat and fry onions until they become soft.
- Add the curry powder, paprika, and a pinch of salt. Stir the spices for a minute until they release their aroma.
- Add the chopped fresh pepper and other vegetables, and add seasoning cubes. Fry them for a few minutes until they start to soften.
- Then pour in the coconut milk and broth or water just enough to cook the rice, then allow it to boil.
- Add the rinsed rice to the pot and stir well with the boiling milk-rich spices and vegetables.
- Reduce the heat to low. Let the rice cook for about 20-25 minutes or until it’s cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
- Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork and make sure it’s well-mixed.
- Put off the heat and leave to rest before serving.
Your Nigerian coconut rice is ready to be served. It’s great as a standalone dish or can be served with fried plantains, salad, or your favorite side dishes.
