Coconut Milk Rice (South Indian Style)

Coconut Milk Rice (also called Thengai Paal Sadam in Tamil) is a flavorful and tasty rice pilaf featuring rice, onions, coconut milk, mixed vegetables, and flavored with aromatic spices and herbs. This pilaf/pulao is easy to make, but has a surprising mélange of flavors that can be savored just as it is or with a robust curry, a salad or any other side of your choice. What’s best is the fact that it’s not just vegetarian, but a vegan-friendly recipe too. Best for those times, when you don’t really want to go intricate on cooking yet want to enjoy a deliciously wholesome meal.

About Coconut Milk Rice

I often opt for pilaf and other rice-based dishes since they are quick and easy to prepare. The main difference between this pilaf and the others that I have posted is the addition of coconut milk. You can easily call it as the USP of this dish.

This South Indian Tamil style rice preparation is also called Thengai Paal Sadam in Tamil. Thengai refers to Coconut, Paal means Milk and Sadam denotes rice. Thus aptly named as Coconut Milk Rice.

Two more delicious recipes from Tamil Nadu cuisine where coconut milk is used are Brinji Rice and Coconut Milk Rasam.

Many variants of coconut milk rice preparations are made in the western coastal and southern parts of India. They vary from spiced and savory to sweeter versions.

The aroma, flavor and texture that the addition of coconut milk along with the choicest of spices bring in this pulao is unique. Thus, making it a one-pot rice dish of star quality.

You will experience the difference between this and the regular pulao variants once you try it. So, when you want to add a delicate creamy richness and a unique flavor to your food, go for coconut milk.

To strengthen the nutritional quotient of this pulao, I have also added an array of veggies in it. But this is completely your choice and you can avoid adding vegetables.

You can also pick and choose which vegetables to be added according to what your palate likes.

You can serve the Coconut Milk Rice with a quick salad, raita or even a robust shorba gravy. This rice based coconut pilaf also pairs really well with a Dal Fry or Dal Tadka.

How to make Coconut Milk Rice

Prep Work

1. Rinse 1 cup basmati rice or 200 grams basmati rice very well in water, till the water runs clear of the starch.

Soak the rice in sufficient water for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, drain all the water and set the soaked rice aside.

2. When the rice is soaking, prep the vegetables by chopping them. Slice 1 medium to large onion thinly (1 cup thinly sliced onions).

Crush 1 inch ginger, 2 to 3 small to medium-sized garlic cloves and 1 green chili (about 1 teaspoon chopped green chillies) in a mortar-pestle.

Sauté Spices, Aromatics

3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 2 litre stove-top pressure cooker and add the following whole spices:

• 3 to 4 cloves
• 3 to 4 green cardamoms
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 1 single strand of mace
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

Fry the spices on low heat till they splutter and are fragrant.

4. Now add the sliced onions and 5 to 6 curry leaves. If you do not have curry leaves, then add 1 medium sized tej patta (Indian bay leaf) when you fry the whole spices in step 3 above.

5. Stir and mix very well.

6. Sauté stirring often on low to medium-low heat till the onions turn light golden or are translucent.

7. Then add the crushed ginger-garlic-green chili paste. Stir and sauté for about 10 to 12 seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.

8. Now add 10 to 12 cashews, which have been chopped. At this point you can also add about 1 tablespoon of golden raisins if you like

9. Stir and mix again.

Add Veggies, Rice, Coconut Milk

10. Now add the mixed vegetables. You can add ¾ to 1 cup of any mixed vegetables, either fresh or frozen. I added ½ cup green peas and ⅓ cup chopped french beans.

In the recipe video I have also added carrots and potatoes together with the green peas and french beans.

11. Stir and sauté the vegetables for a minute.

12. Then add the soaked basmati rice.

13. Gently mix and stir the basmati rice with the rest of the ingredients.

14. Now pour ¾ cup of thick coconut milk. You can also add 1 cup thick coconut milk.

Here I have used canned coconut milk, but you can use first extract of homemade coconut milk.

15. Add 1 to 1.25 cups water. If using 1 cup of coconut milk, then add 0.75 to 1 cup water.

Remember to add the correct amount of liquids depending on the quality and type of rice you are using. For 1 cup of basmati rice, you need to add about 1.75 to 2 cups of the liquids.

Make Coconut Milk Rice

16. Stir well. Then season with salt as required. Taste the stock, it should feel slightly salty.

Cover and pressure cook Coconut Milk Rice for 1 to 2 whistles or for 8 to 9 minutes on medium to medium-high heat. I pressure cooked for 2 whistles.

17. When the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, open the lid and gently fluff the rice.

18. Garnish with some chopped coriander or mint leaves. Serve Coconut Milk Rice with salad, raita, pickle or a shorba gravy.

Expert Tips

1. Make sure to rinse the aged basmati rice till the water runs clear of the starch. If you don’t have basmati rice, you can use any variety of non-sticky short-grained or medium-grained rice.
2. You can add tej patta (Indian bay leaf) in case you don’t have curry leaves.
3. Adding cashews or raisins while making the Thengai Paal Sadam is optional. You can skip them if you do not prefer them.
4. You can skip adding the vegetables in this coconut milk pulao or add vegetables of your choice – like cauliflower, green peas, carrot, bell pepper, baby corn, sweet corn, broccoli, etc.
5. The Thengai Paal Sadam recipe can be made with both canned coconut milk or homemade coconut milk. For homemade coconut milk, use the first extract or the first press of the extracted coconut milk.
6. Instead of making the coconut milk rice in a stove-top pressure cooker, you can also make the recipe in the Instant pot by adding water as needed. You can also cook the Thengai Paal Sadam in a pan on the stove-top.

Coconut Milk Rice recipe from the blog archives was first published on October 2015.