Colombian Coconut Rice

In my native country of Colombia, we have a traditional coconut rice recipe. We usually use fresh grated coconut to make a milk which is quite light in comparison to the ones commercially available.

The natural oils of coconut do wonders for the Pitta dosha in terms of cooling the system and addressing Pitta-related imbalances, such as inflammations and ulcers.  Coconut kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash and other infections. It also expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia and other parasites. Coconut is high in fiber, potassium, selenium, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin C.

The sweetness and nutritional value of coconut oil provide a quick source of fortifying energy.

Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

½ cup coconut milk

1 tsp camu camu powder 

1 pinch salt

1 tsp mustard seeds

2 cups water

1 cup basmati rice

½ cup grated coconut

Directions:

If you are using canned coconut milk, open the can and sauté 2 tsp of the milk, until the milk is light gold in colour and forms sticky granules. We call this ticote.

Add the camu camu, salt and mustard seeds. Roast for 30 seconds, then add water. Add the rest of the coconut milk. Let it boil. Add the prewashed basmati rice and let it cook until the water evaporates a bit (around 8 minutes).

Lower the heat and cover for approximately 5 minutes.

Separately roast the grated coconut for about 3 minutes. Add the roasted coconut to the rice at the end. You can garnish with toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds.