This post is part of a series called What’s for Dinner?, in which I invite my favorite bloggers, business owners, and other fabulous personalities to share with you their own go-to recipes: the favorite meals, snacks, drinks they make over and over again. You’ll get to meet some of my friends, and we’ll all get some new (fantastic) recipes to try!
This time I’ve asked my cousins, Sarah and Kou Yang, to share a recipe. I’ve known Sarah since we were both in diapers, and have been camping with Sarah and her husband, Kou, long enough to know that any food they bring to the table is probably going to be pretty legendary in terms of aesthetic, taste bud + tummy satisfaction. And they always allow me to taste everything they make, which makes me a very happy cousin.
I know you’ll enjoy this fabulous dessert! Take it away, Sarah and Kou…
The Yang’s Go-To Dessert: Coconut Rice
My wife and I really enjoy entertaining, whether it be with friends, family, or new acquaintances. For us, one of the most difficult parts about entertaining is determining the best dish to serve to keep things interesting, but also to ensure we have the time to make everything semi-okay-ish. The simplicity of the dish is the main reason why this is our go-to dish for any occasion.
We enjoy making the traditional version of this recipe with sticky rice, but are sharing a modified version below using Arborio rice, which is available more widely.
- 1 cup of Arborio rice
- 1 can coconut milk
- Coconut water – sweetened or unsweetened (whatever is available you can also use)
- Water
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (also very handy for making homemade goo gone!)
- 1 cup of a sweet white wine Riesling/Chardonnay
- 3 or 4 Pandan leaves or 1/2 tablespoon of Pandan extract (you can eyeball it—that is if you’ve seen Michelle’s webinar on how to cook without measuring) Ingredient note: you can get Pandan leaves or Pandan extract at your local Asian market. A bay leaf and vanilla bean can be used as a substitute, in a pinch.
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt (adjust to your taste)
- 1 ripe mango
Start by melting the coconut oil on medium high heat. Once it gets glassy and begins to run, add the rice. Stir for about 1 minute, until the rice is evenly coated. Turn the heat down to low and add the wine—the alcohol will burn off, leaving you with the gentle flavor characteristics of the wine.
Once the wine has been absorbed, begin by adding about a ladle of coconut water or water to the rice, and give it a stir. Let the rice cook and absorb the liquid. If you hear sizzling, add more liquid and stir.
Repeat the process of adding liquid and stirring until you see the rice begin to turn from translucent to solid white. The texture you’re looking for is al dente. Unfortunately there isn’t a solid time frame to give you, as many stoves operate differently; however, on average we achieved the desired texture at about 20 to 25 minutes, at a medium to low heat.
Once your rice has reached this crucial stage turn off the heat, it is time to add your coconut cream, sugar, salt and pandan. Give it a good stir, and allow it to cool to room temperature. Scoop a portion of the rice mixture into a bowl, sprinkle some sesame seeds, and the mango, and dig in!
We live in South St. Paul, MN with our two year old son, Elliot; Golden Retriever, Delaney; and two cats, Cosette, and Sayedi. We both work in Eagan, MN, and fill our days with hobbies such as Aquaponics, cooking, gardening, and hunting dinosaurs. Weekly dinners with neighbors and friends keep us cooking, and looking for new and interesting recipes to enjoy.
Editor’s note: Their son Elliot (pictured at right) is one of the coolest dinosaurs you will ever meet.
