Thai Saffron Coconut Rice Recipe

Saffron rice
Harini Prakash / Getty Images
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings

If you like saffron rice and/or coconut rice, try this delicious Thai saffron-coconut rice recipe! Instead of choosing between saffron rice and coconut rice, I've combined the two into one recipe. The result is a beautifully golden rice that tastes wonderful and is great to serve company or take to a dinner party or potluck. It makes the perfect companion to any main you might be serving, from Asian specialties to traditional or gourmet Western fare. And it's easy to make, too - you don't need a rice cooker. Just combine everything together in a pot and you'll have beautiful saffron coconut rice in just 20 minutes!

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, optional

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 tablespoons fish sauce, or soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes

  • 2 cups Thai jasmine rice

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

  • 2 cups coconut milk

  • Salt, to taste

  • 2 medium green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Place stock in a pot and set over high heat.

  2. Add the turmeric, saffron threads (if using), garlic, fish sauce, lemon juice, cumin, and chili. Stir well and bring to a boil.

  3. Add the rice, shredded coconut, plus coconut milk. Stir continuously (to keep rice from sticking to the bottom) while you bring liquid back to a gentle boil.

  4. When liquid is gently bubbling, reduce heat to low (just above minimum) and stop stirring. Cover pot tightly with a lid and cook about 15 minutes, or until liquid has been absorbed (use a fork to pull rice back so you can see to the bottom of the pot).

  5. Turn off heat, but leave the pot on the burner (covered) to steam for another 5-10 minutes, or until you're ready to eat. Rice will stay hot in this way for an hour or more (great if you're having company!).

  6. Before serving, fluff rice with a fork and taste-test for salt.

  7. If not salty enough (this will depend on the saltiness of your stock), add a little more fish sauce OR a sprinkling of salt if vegetarian. If too salty, add another squeeze of lemon juice.

  8. Garnish with the green onion, and serve with a nice Thai Curry, Indian curry, or other dishes of your choice. 

For plain coconut rice, see my: Easy Coconut Rice Recipe.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
488 Calories
34g Fat
28g Carbs
20g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 488
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g 44%
Saturated Fat 26g 128%
Cholesterol 56mg 19%
Sodium 429mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 4mg 18%
Calcium 52mg 4%
Iron 7mg 37%
Potassium 486mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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