Southeast Asia’s Sweet Treat at Home

Countries such as Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia are a part of Southeast Asia, and this region is well known for its exotic and delicious cuisine. Since this subcontinent incorporates many countries with their unique cultures and staple ingredients, the cooking styles and dishes that can be found are diverse. However, there are some ingredients that are quite common in this region, such as noodles, mung beans and soybeans, seafood, soy sauce, turmeric, chilis, onions, lemongrass, ginger, and rice. 

Rice is an Asian food staple, it is central to all cuisine. People from Southeast Asia have this steamed grain for breakfast, lunch, as a snack, and dinner. It is cooked differently in each country. It can be stir-fried, pounded into flour, or steamed, and used for a number of purposes and a variety of recipes. For instance, in Laos, glutinous rice is very popular, whereas, in India, the most consumed type of rice is basmati. Yet again, there is one variety that can be found across all of Southeast Asia and that is jasmine rice.

One of the worldwide famous rice-based dessert is Spanish arroz con leche (rice pudding), a recipe you will find here: mahatmarice.com/recipes/arroz-con-leche/.

Today, we want to introduce you to another sweet treat, an easy, quick, and cheap recipe, that can be found in some countries of Southeast Asia’s region, so that you can bring their flavors to your own home, no matter where you are. Our recipe for the day is coconut rice.

Sweet Coconut Rice Recipe  

We all have rice in our pantries.  Not only is this ingredient affordable, but it is also really versatile; it works perfectly well for savory dishes and for sweet treats or desserts!If you have a passion for sweet treats and wish to learn something different to make with rice and surprise your family, friends, or yourself, this recipe is for you.We were not messing around when we said that this is an easy, quick, and cheap recipe. You will only need a few ingredients and a couple of minutes to enjoy an incredible dessert from the region of Southeast Asia. What’s more is that you can store it in the fridge and change the toppings each time you eat it, to enjoy even more versions of this same dish with little to no effort.

Ingredients  

This is what you will need to make Southeast Asian-inspired sweet coconut rice:

  • 3 cups of uncooked jasmine rice.
  • 3 cups of almond milk.
  • 3 cups of water.
  • 1 can of coconut milk.
  • Vanilla extract to taste.
  • Cinnamon to taste.
  • 2 cups of brown sugar.
  • Topping of choice.

How to make it  

  1. First of all, you need to soak 3 cups of uncooked jasmine rice overnight or, at least, for four hours.
  2. After the rice has been soaked, drain the excess water and put it in a large pot. Place the pot over high heat and pour 3 cups of water and 3 cups of almond milk. Stir so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan and bring this to a boil.
  3. Continue stirring from time to time, and after the liquid has come to a boil, watch out for the temperature of your stove.
  4. Once the liquid has been absorbed, add a can of coconut milk and two cups of brown sugar, your vanilla extract, and a pinch of cinnamon. Stir frequently and lower the heat to a minimum.
  5. Let the mixture simmer for about thirty minutes or until there is no more visible liquid.
  6. After the time has passed and there is no more liquid to be absorbed, turn off the heat and put a lid on your pot. Let the rice sit for about fifteen minutes.
  7. Serve your rice with your desired toppings and enjoy! You can eat it warm or wait until it sets in the fridge to get an even better texture and flavor.

 Topping ideas: 

  • Some great ideas to add to your sweet coconut rice are different kinds of fruits such as mangoes, bananas and strawberries. These are all typical from Southeast Asia, but you can choose any fruit you like.
  • Chocolate chips and roasted walnuts are great options as well. If you add chocolate chips while the rice is still warm, you’ll get delicious melted chocolate in your dessert. The roasted walnuts will add an extra crunch that we guarantee you will love.