If I think about the Coast, holidays, sea, and beach, I also think about the food of that region of the country. Coconut rice is a typical dish of the Colombian Caribbean coast. It is a bittersweet preparation that usually accompanies fried fish and is served with plantain and salad.
Ingredients
1 coconut
3 cups of rice
1 cup of raisins
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
Salt to taste
7 cups of water, including coconut water
Preparation
The first step is to peel the coconut, drain water through the holes of the coconut, and keep it separate. Then, place the coconuts directly on the fire to split the shell easier.
Once you have split the coconut, with a knife, remove the pulp and cut it into squares. Blend the coconut pulp with two cups of water, until it is as liquid as possible. Go through the colander and preserve that first milk. Blend the coconut pulp again with two cups of water, and preserve the second batch of coconut milk.
Put the first coconut milk in a cauldron and bring it to the fire. Let it boil until liquid is completely consumed and browned without letting it burn. Add the raisins and brown sugar and mix it in the cauldron, mix up and do not let it burn. Add the rice and sauté it a little bit.
Add the second batch of coconut milk to the cauldron where the coconut mix is to be cooked with sugar and raisins.
Add more water, four cups, to the mixture. Incorporate previously washed rice. Add the salt and test it, add sugar and mix constantly to avoid sticking. When it is dry, cover as tight as possible. Reduce the heat and finish cooking like traditional white rice.
Recommendations
This recomendation will make you an expert at this recipie, but every time you make it, it will get better.
The ratio between coconut rice is always one coconut per pound of rice. If the water of the coconut tastes bitter, the coconut is not so fresh, but if the water of the coconut is sweet, the coconut is very fresh and will make a very good coconut rice.
If you want a light color and soft flavor, do not sauté the brown sugar, instead, if you like it with a strong flavor sauté it but do not burn it, because the rice can taste bad.
Raisins can be removed, as they are optional. You do not need to add oil to the rice, the milk of the coconut has enough natural oil. You can buy coconut milk, but remember that the traditional way tastes better. Some people like to add Coke to the mix, it wil gave flavor and a brown color, but the tradicional recipie does not have Coke.
