Description
I discovered this recipe by accident three summers ago when I was trying to jazz up plain white rice for a backyard luau party. Everyone went CRAZY for it, and now it’s requested at every summer gathering. The coconut gives it this amazing creamy richness while the pineapple adds these perfect bursts of sweetness. It’s like a vacation for your taste buds!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups jasmine rice (basmati works too, but jasmine has that perfect floral note)
- 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk (full-fat, please! The light stuff just isn’t the same)
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or butter if you don’t have coconut oil)
- 1 small onion, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (the stuff in the tube works in a pinch)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, diced (about half a pineapple – canned works too, just drain it well!)
- 1/3 cup toasted coconut flakes, plus more for garnish
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (skip if you’re one of those people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap)
- 1–2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, but that tiny kick really balances the sweetness)
- Salt and pepper to taste