Best Goan Coconut Milk Pilaf Recipes

GOAN COCONUT-MILK PILAF

Steps:

• Dry-roast the coconut in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, but just barely darker in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Cool and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom pods and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion (and ground cardamom, if using) and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Mix in rice, coconut milk, 1 * cups water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and cook until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, mix in the coconut, vindaloo powder (or garam masala) and cilantro.

GOAN COCONUT MILK PILAF

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the vindaloo masala and the coconut milk. Then dry-roast the coconut in a small skillet or tava over medium heat until fragrant, but just barely darker, 1 to 2 minutes.2. Heat the oil in medium nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat, add the cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom pods, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.3. Add the onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Then mix in the rice, coconut milk, water, and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan (partially at first, until the foam subsides, then snugly), and cook until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Do not stir the rice while it cooks. Remove from heat and allow the rice to rest about 5 minutes. Then transfer to a serving platter, lightly mix in the roasted coconut, vindaloo powder (or garam masala), and cilantro, and serve.VARIATION: For a traditional, even richer flavor, make this recipe with only coconut milk--simply substitute more coconut milk for the water. A similar rice is also made in southern India, but they add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 3 to 5 dried red chili peppers along with the cinnamon and cloves.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.