Coconut Rice

Tags

coconut, coconut milk, Jasmine, lime, rice

I don’t know about you, but I typically have no trouble deciding on a main dish, but when it comes to a perfectly paired side I’m at a loss. I especially had a problem when I made these Caribbean pork chops. Typical sides of pasta or potatoes didn’t seem to match, and plain rice just sounded so boring when compared to the spicy/sweet components of the pork chops. I also don’t know anything about Caribbean cuisine, but a tropical side dish sounded appropriate. My mind automatically when to coconut rice, even though it’s a Thai dish. Mango and coconut sounds perfect together! And the coconut milk should help counter the spiced rub on the pork chops, just like it counters spicy Thai dishes.

Now for those of you who aren’t coconut fans, don’t worry! I, myself, am not a fan of coconut though my dislike of coconut is a textural issue. Shredded coconut is just gritty and nasty to me, but mix coconut milk into something, and I’m a happy camper! The coconut milk combined with the lime juice made for the most wonderful rice, especially since it’s made with jasmine rice. I was absolutely amazed at how good this rice was, and I definitely plan on making it again soon, with or without the pork chops!One Year Ago: Carrot Cupcakes and Spaghetti with Olive Oil and Lemon

Coconut Rice

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups jasmine rice, washed and drained well
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1½ cups water
2-3 tablespoons lime juice, about 1 lime
Toasted coconut for garnish, optional

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, and salt, stirring until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, add rice and stir until rice is evenly coated. Add coconut milk, water, and lime juice, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil and cover pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat but do not open lid; let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Source: Adapted from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

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Cilantro Lime Rice

Tags

cilantro, lime, Mexican, rice

I’m not a big fan of Mexican food, which I believe I have mentioned before. On the other hand, my whole family loves it and my mom keeps hoping I will come around and warm up to it. Thus far, no such luck. I do enjoy burritos, though, but I’m picky about those, too. For those of you fortunate enough to have had a Chipotle burrito, you know how awesome they are. For those of you who have not, the tortillas are perfect, the fillings are delish, and the rice is awesome. I never would have thought that rice would make a dish, but this rice is super good and the burritos just wouldn’t be the same without it.

Now being the genius that I am (haha), I decided to finally look online and find a copycat recipe to use in my own burritos. There were so many different recipes, but I narrowed down my options and picked one that seemed simple yet delicious. The rice was as good as I expected it to be, which made for a very happy me! The lime added a nice subtle citrus flavor, and the cilantro added freshness and some Mexican flair. I made burritos 2 weeks in a row… I had a craving… And I made this rice both times to go along with them. Sometimes I ate it on the side, and sometimes I ate it in the burritos, but either way it was delish! If you’re looking for a simple rice dish to serve alongside Mexican food, or in some burritos, be sure to try this out!Cilantro Lime Rice

1 cup rice, uncooked
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided

In a small pot, add rice, water, 1 teaspoon oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water is just above the top of the rice, reduce heat to low and cover, cooking for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and keep covered an additional 5 minute. Add chopped cilantro, lime juice, and remaining oil to the rice and toss until completely mixed.

Source: Adapted from Skinnytaste

Kimchi Fried Rice

Tags

Asian, bacon, kimchi, Korean, rice

I tried Korean food for the first time in college, and immediately fell in love. I’ve continued to try different restaurants and different Korean dishes over the years, and have loved them all. Thankfully, my husband loves Korean food, too, so we enjoy it often enough! We normally try for all you can eat Korean barbecue… we looove bulgogi and kalbi (we love our beef). On one of our more recent visits to a delicious Korean restaurant that seemed like a hole in the wall, I had the privilege of trying kimchi fried rice for the first time. It was so simple, and so tasty, and it even had a fried egg on top, which makes everything better! This is perfect for a side dish or a quick lunch.

September is National Rice Month! To see more rice recipes, check out the blog hop over at Mis Pensamientos!

Kimchi Fried Rice

1½ cups kimchi, chopped
4-6 bacon strips
2 cups cooked rice, heated
2 tablespoons kimchi juice
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Black pepper
2 eggs, optional
Scallions for garnish, chopped, optional

Dice the bacon strips into small pieces; set aside. In a large frying pan over medium heat, brown the bacon pieces until crisp. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate; set aside.

Remove some of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving about one or two tablespoons. Add the chopped kimchi to the pan and sauté them well until nice and tender, about 5 minutes. Add rice and mix well with the kimchi. Add the kimchi juice to moisten the fried rice. Continue to stir until heated through.

Turn off the heat. Add sesame oil, soy sauce, sesame seeds, and the bacon pieces; mix well. Season with black pepper.

In a small skillet, fry eggs sunny side up or over easy (whichever you prefer). Place on top of the fried rice. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from Beyond Kimchee

Cheesy Zucchini Rice

Tags

cheese, rice, vegetarian, zucchini

Yes, this is another zucchini post, but at least it’s a savory recipe this time! After all, I’m only trying to help all of you out there with excess zucchini! I’m still super jealous of all of you, even though I recently acquired two giant zucchinis that shredded down to about 4 cups each. Yay me!

This simple side dish is super tasty, and super easy. It’s not strong in zucchini flavor, but it helps to add texture and it’s a great way to sneak vegetables into people who aren’t veggie fans, such as myself. After making it, I proceeded to tell myself that I didn’t need a veggie with the meal now, since my starch and vegetables were merged into one dish! The cheese makes the rice incredibly creamy, too. So make sure all your zucchini doesn’t go to waste, and give this a try!

Cheesy Zucchini Rice

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup white rice
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium zucchini, grated on the large holes of a cheese grater
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Stir in the rice, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer rice for about 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from heat, add the butter and zucchini, and cover.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes, then stir to incorporate.  Stir in the cheese, mixing well to combine; season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Source: Slightly adapted from Pink Parsley

Garlic Rice Pilaf

Tags

garlic, lemon, rice

Over the last year, I’ve pretty much stopped using store bought sides. Boxed pasta and rice is easy, and it’s pretty good, but I’ve come to prefer homemade. Especially when I can find fast or easy recipes. This recipe isn’t fast, but it’s relatively hands free. You bake the rice in the oven, and only have to stir it once or twice as it cooks. How simple! It does take an hour or so to bake, but that gives you time to make all the other components of your meal, and at least you know that your side dish is taken care of.

The garlic isn’t overly powerful, and the addition of lemon at the end gives it a nice burst of freshness. This has become one of my new go-to side dishes, and my husband and I love it.

On a side note, this recipe works well with medium grain rice, seeing as how I never have long grain rice… Whoops.

Garlic Rice Pilaf
Note: This recipe can be doubled without increasing the baking time.

2 tablespoons butter
3-4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 cup long-grain white rice
2½ cups chicken broth, divided
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and rice to the pan and cook until both are golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup chicken broth, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish, cover, and bake for 25 minutes.  Stir in the remaining 1½ cups chicken broth and bake, covered, for another 30 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, then finish baking for another 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork or spoon and serve.

Source: Slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats, who adapted it from What’s Cooking in the Orange Kitchen