Coconut milk rice is a simple one pot traditional rice recipe made by cooking rice in coconut milk along with spices. The aroma of this coconut milk rice is simply exceptional & outstanding. It is usually eaten with some curry or a raita. Coconut milk rice is quite popular in coastal regions of South India & is made in many ways.

This recipe is from my mum which she would prepare on weekends to go with a chicken curry or veg kurma or egg curry.
Coconut milk rice can also be eaten without any accompaniment & it tastes good on its own. Just use enough green chilies to spice it up.
This recipe requires no unusual ingredients and can be made with just some pantry staples.
Preparation
1. Wash and soak rice till your coconut milk gets ready.
2. Grind chopped coconut pieces or grated coconut with 1.5 cups water. Filter and extract the milk. Use 1 1/2 cup coconut milk. Set this aside. Alternately you can use store bought milk.
3. Heat ghee in a pan, fry cashews, add little coconut fry until fragrant. Set aside. sauté all the spices and green chilli for a min.

4. Add ginger paste.

5. Fry until it begins to smell good.

6. Add veggies if using, and fry for a min or two.

7. Pour the coconut milk and water. Add salt as well. Taste the milk and add more salt if needed. The milk has to be slightly salty.

How to make coconut milk rice
8. While the milk comes to a boil, drain the rice to a colander. When the milk begins to boil rapidly, add the rice. Mix well.

9. Cook till the rice is done fully.

10. You can cover and cook. If rice is under cooked, you can sprinkle little water and cook further. If cooking in a pressure cooker, allow the cooker to whistle once. Next if using normal rice 2 whistles.

11. When the pressure goes off, open the lid and fluff up the rice.

12. Once the rice is done, garnish with fried cashews and fried coconut. coconut milk rice is ready to serve.

Tips to make coconut milk rice
Coconut milk: This recipe can be made with canned or fresh coconut milk. We usually make this with fresh homemade coconut milk which includes the thin and the thick milk. Thin milk is the second extract and thick milk is the first extract.
If using the canned coconut milk that is too creamy then dilute it with equal amount of water and use.
Rice: Any non sticky variety of rice works well. We usually use the short grain rice or the aged basmati rice. Any kind of fragrant rice too works wonderfully well. Just ensure you rinse the rice well to avoid turning it to a sticky texture.
Spices: We use whole spices to infuse the aromatic flavors to the coconut milk rice. This makes a lot of difference to the rice but you may skip them if you do not have. I use bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, cumin & star anise. You can use whatever you have in hand.
Mix veggies are optional in the recipe and can be skipped. You may just add a single veggie too like peas. Traditionally we use soaked chana dal but sometimes I use mixed veggies like carrots, peas, beans and corn.
This way I ensure that we do not miss our daily quota of vegetables.
Nuts: I have used cashew nuts here for garnishing which you can skip completely or even include some raisins if you desire.
To make this coconut milk rice fragrant with subtle aroma of coconut you can also garnish with some toasted coconut.
For more Coconut recipes
Coconut chutney
Easy Coconut ladoo
Easy Coconut burfi
More simple rice recipes
Lemon rice
mint rice
Veg pulao
Coconut milk rice recipe

Coconut milk rice | How to make coconut milk rice | Kobbari annam
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 2 cups rice (any fragrant rice)
- 1½ cup coconut milk or (1 cup coconut chopped or grated + 1 ½ cup water)
- 2 cups Water (adjust as needed, you can use 1/4 cup more)
- 2 tsp ginger grated or crushed or paste or ginger garlic paste
- 1 to 2 green chili slit
- 1 medium carrots chopped (optional)
- 1 cup green peas frozen or fresh (optional)
- 6 beans chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp oil , Ghee or butter
- Salt as needed
Spices for coconut milk rice
- 1 bay leaf or tej patta
- 4 cardamoms or green cardamoms
- 6 cloves or laung
- 2 inch cinnamon piece or dalchini
- 1 tsp cumin or jeera
optional for garnish
- 10 cashews
- 4 tbsp Grated coconut or coconut flakes
Instructions
Preparation for coconut milk rice
- Wash and soak rice for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
- Drain and set aside.
- optional – Skip this step if you are using store bought coconut milk. Blend chopped coconut pieces with 1½ cup water. Filter to extract the milk and use 1½ coconut milk in the recipe.
Making coconut milk rice
- Add ghee or butter to a cooker or pot. Fry cashews until golden. You can set aside if you like crunchy cashews.
- To the same pan, add spices and fry till they turn fragrant. Add ginger paste and fry until it smells fragrant.
- Add slit green chili, chopped vegetables and fry for 2 to 3 mins.
- Pour the coconut milk along with the water and add salt. Taste and check the salt.
- When the coconut milk begins to boil, add rice and mix well.
- Cover and cook until fully done on a medium flame.
- Little water can be sprinkled if rice is still not cooked well. If cooking in a pressure cooker, allow to whistle once.
- Allow the coconut milk rice to rest for 15 mins then fluff it up with a fork.
- Toast the coconut until golden and garnish it over the rice. You can also garnish with cashews.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes

Swasthi, I tried this with you palak paneer. I used a cup of shredded coconut (frozen previously) and 1.5 cups of water to make the blended coconut milk. The coconut flavour was not as strong as I had hoped, but the dish was good in every other way :). Do you have a suggestion to improve the coconut flavour, maybe equal parts shredded coconut to water? Maybe coconut slices (frozen) which I also have.
Hi Sandy,
This recipe needs frozen/fresh coconut. Not sure if the shredded coconut you used is the dehydrated one or frozen from fresh coconut. This is best made with fresh coconut milk and not from dehydrated one. The other option could be using canned coconut milk. We usually break the coconut and then extract the milk the same day for this dish. You can try adding more coconut and see. Hope this helps.
Can we make kobbari annam min five cooker with all spices , how to make?
Prashanti I didn’t understand your question.
Hi Swathi
How r u?I have been following your blog from one year.i tried many recipes and got many compliments especially at parties.
Generally I use 1:1/2 ratio for Basmati rice and milk for making coconut rice from years together.is it sufficient to make coconut rice while adding veggies as I never tried it…
U r awesome in explaining and u r soooo great for cooking like a pro.. love you ???
my mom’s style. thanq…. its amazing
Welcome Mrunalini
tnx
Welcome!
Hi Swasthi,
Been following your blog for several years now. They look AH-MAZING! I can almost smell the aroma as you prepare. Just need the courage and patience to start cooking like a pro!
Hi Kavi
Thank you so much! Haha! So happy reading your comment. Thanks again!
🙂
Yummy recipes. Thank you.
Welcome Usha
very nice
Thank you
This receipe is just awesome and clear. The dish was really tasty. Must try for everyone. I made this rice with mango pacchadi. It will go well with any Non Veg gravy.
Tried in same way as you posted. Huge hit in my hpuse
I did not understand the measurement. For example, for 2 glasses of rice we need 4 glasses of Water for cooking. Thai means one and half glasses Water and half glass coconut milk. Am i right?
Hi Sunitha
For 2 cups of basmathi rice I use only 3 and a half cups water.
So 2 and half cups water plus 1 cup thick coconut milk. If you are using normal rice, then add another 1/4 cup more water.
Easy and tasty recipe
Thank you
I did this recipe by seeing your blog,,,you remembered my moms taste.
superb
Mam I started Food blogging, if you suggest any by seeing my blog……i feel happy
Thanks Swapna
Yes I will visit your blog when I get free time. Wish you the best
This sites are very useful to my 19 months old baby food options I’m thankfulll to u
welcome Viji
Thanks for sharing such an amazing recipe, I just wanted to clarify the water to coconut milk ratio. Is it 1 cup coconut milk (i will be using store bought) and to 2 and 1/2 cups water ?
You are welcome Mounica
for 2 cups rice , it is 2 1/2 cups water and 1 cup coconut milk
Really I am happy to this coconut recipes that rice was very yummy and tasties ,my child like very much
Thanks Maheshwari,
i am glad to know your child liked it.
Hi Swathi,
I have tried this today on Diwali as fresh lunch and it came superb!!
I also added meal maker to it as my children love it.
Hi Suvarna
So glad to know it turned out superb
Yes meal maker will be a good addition.
Thanks for the feedback
Huge hit with my family tonight. Even my 2 yo cleaned his bowl. Great recipe!
Thanks Yanic
Feeling happy to know your little one liked it.
Its too yemmy… & i loved it.. its awesome indeed !!
Thanks for the feedback Jemima. Iam glad you loved it
It’s too good coconut milk rice is amazing
Thanks Radha, glad you liked it
My husband said it was the best rice he had ever had ( & he eats a lot of rice)
Thanks Deb, glad your hubby liked it
🙂
Wow.. this luks gorgeous.. beautiful presentation:) loved it