Coconut Fried Rice

Content… The Secret What You Need How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions What to Serve More Crazy Delicious Coconut Recipes to Try Watch How to Make It

The Secret to Insanely Good Coconut Fried Rice

Between you and me, the number one secret to making mouthwatering coconut fried rice is to use fresh coconut milk. Just blend the flesh of a freshly cracked coconut in your blender with a little water. When it reaches a fine consistency, pour it out, liquid and all, into a cheesecloth and squeeze the milk into a bowl.

It only takes a few minutes, and the flavor is incredible. However, I also live in the real world and don’t always have the time or energy to make fresh coconut milk. So, if you use canned coconut milk, this dish is still highly addictive. 😋

What You Need

1. Rice – Plain white rice, jasmine rice, or even brown rice will work, or whatever you have on hand.  
2. Coconut Milk – Fresh coconut milk is best, but canned is second best!
3. Oil – Canola, vegetable, or coconut oil works great for this recipe.
4. Eggs – Scrambled egg in fried rice is a must for me, but you can leave it out.
5. Veggies – Onion, garlic, peas, and carrots are my fried rice vegetables of choice, but feel free to customize them to your taste buds.
6. Seasonings – Soy and oyster sauce make a nice base. But salt, pepper, bouillon powder, and curry powder deliver great flavor layers. 🤤

How to Make Coconut Milk Fried Rice

Make the Coconut Rice

• Rinse rice in a saucepan thoroughly with water. Drain the excess water before moving on.
• Cook – Next, add the coconut milk, water, and salt. Set the saucepan on high heat, stir the rice, and bring it to a boil. Stir well, cover with the lid, lower the heat, and simmer, keeping the heat as low as possible for 15-18 minutes. (Photo 1)
• Cool – Remove the rice from the heat and let it cool, covered. Fluff it with a fork before making the fried rice.

Fry the Coconut Rice

• Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat.
• Fry the Rice – Add the rice and stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes. Then add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and about a tablespoon of water or stock as needed to moisten the rice and keep it from sticking. Remove from the pan and set aside. (Photo 2)
• Eggs – Quickly wipe the wok or skillet with a clean paper towel or cloth. Heat a tablespoon of oil, add the eggs, and quickly stir to scramble them. Remove the cooked eggs and add them to the rice. (Photo 3)
• Veggies – Continue stir-frying by pouring another tablespoon of oil into the wok. Add onions, peas, carrots, minced garlic, curry powder, and chicken bouillon powder. Stir until fragrant or for about 2 minutes. (Photos 4-5)
• Assemble – Return the rice and eggs to the wok and stir until everything combines. (Photo 6)
• Serve – Adjust seasoning salt and pepper if necessary. Garnish with chopped scallion and serve.

Delicious Variations on the Recipe

1. Add some protein. For a meal, instead of a side, add chicken, pork, or shrimp. All three taste great with the tropical coconut flavor. Coconut shrimp fried rice is the perfect one-dish meal.
2. Make it vegan. Swap the chicken bouillon for vegetable bouillon, omit the egg, and toss in some tofu.
3. Customize the veggies. Feel free to add any other vegetables you love to have in fried rice. Shredded cabbage, chopped green beans, or even some diced pineapple go well with this dish.

Recipe Notes

1. Double the coconut rice when making it for a side dish. Having leftover coconut fried rice already on hand saves tons of time! 🥥
2. High-temperature frying means you’ll need to stir vigorously and closely monitor the ingredients. This dish comes together quickly, so it’s not something you can walk away from.
3. If you accidentally overcook the coconut rice a tad, put it in the fridge uncovered for an hour or two. That way, it dries out a bit before fluffing and frying. 

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make the coconut rice ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container for a day or two. You can also make the fried rice a day or two ahead and heat it when ready to enjoy. It also freezes fine for up to 3 months.

Refrigerate leftover coconut rice for 3-5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Reheat in a saucepan or microwave with a teaspoon or two of water to moisten it back up.

What Goes With Coconut Fried Rice

Try this tropical treat alongside pineapple chicken or coconut shrimp. Pineapple cucumber salad on the side makes a filling yet refreshing meal. 😄

More Crazy Delicious Coconut Recipes to Try

1. Coconut Puff-Puff
2. Grilled Coconut Shrimp 
3. Crunchy Coconut Coleslaw
4. Braised Chicken in Coconut Milk
5. Coconut Cream Pie

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”hgG6Qi0e” upload-date=”2019-11-20T11:25:26.000Z” name=”Coconut Fried Rice” description=” https://www.africanbites.com/coconut-fried-rice/” ]

This blog post was originally published in August 2014 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video