Last Updated on June 3, 2023

Do you like coconut rice? There are many variations of it and we’re sure you’ve had it at least once. Our Coconut Ginger Basmati Rice with Cumin Seed is very fragrant from ginger, cumin seeds, and garlic, with a hit of of sweetness from coconut milk. It’s so good that it can be a main dish without any sides! Of course, this pairs very well with curry dishes.

Basmati Rice or Jasmine Rice?

We eat rice quite often. Many health conscious people eat brown rice and we understand the health benefits of it but at the end of the day we prefer white rice! Now, for the type of rice, we like using basmati rice for coconut rice. Jasmine rice is an another popular rice for making coconut rice. They both are good so feel free to substitute with Jasmine rice if you prefer. It really comes down to your preference! Our go-to basmati rice brand is Lotus Foods. We tried a couple different brands and we think their organic basmati rice the flavor that we’re happy with! They also have organic jasmine rice as well.

Key Ingredients

What makes this dish so flavorful is ginger, garlic, and cumin seeds! The cumin seeds are dry-roasted first to give more nuttiness and aroma. Half of them will be cooked with rice and the other half will be toppings! Also, for the liquid we use this Organic Vegetable Broth which adds a layer of complex flavor. No vegetable broth? no worries, just use water instead and it tastes fine. Don’t forget about using good quality coconut milk! Let’s talk about it.

Full-Fat or Low-Fat Coconut Milk?

As vegans, we dive into many health topics. One of them is always what to and what not to eat. Obviously, we aren’t a health expert and some of our believes could be controversial or subjected to be a valid argument. This is very personal and everyone values different believes. For us, we typically avoid “low-fat” or “reduced fat” type of products. Our goal is always to eat as whole foods as possible and in the natural state (shape) as possible that the nature offers. The reality is that coconut milk is pretty high in fat and we try not to just consume blindly without concerning about fat intakes. But we don’t want to miss out the goodness of coconut milk and most importantly, consuming low-fat coconut milk is not an option for us. Solution? We still cook and eat coconut milk but not too frequently! Don’t be afraid of the fat content, just be moderate! We recommend using this particular Organic Coconut Milk from Edward & Sons for one specific reason! This coconut milk is called “Simple” and made with no guar gum! Why would we need it anyways?

How to Serve

Top it with the dry-roasted cumin seeds, and some fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley for a fresh bite! As we’ve mentioned in the beginning, this is a perfect side dish to pair with curry dishes of your choice! We pair with our Parsley & Tempeh Dry Curry. Don’t forget to check out the recipe (coming soon!)

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Coconut Ginger Basmati Rice with Cumin Seed

This coconut rice is very fragrant from ginger, cumin seeds, and garlic. It has nutty aroma of basmati rice and a little sweetness from coconut milk. It's perfect for curry dishes or by itself!

Yield: about 7 1/2 cups

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Sides, Lunch, Dinner

Cuisine: Indian-Inspired, Vegan

Servings: 6 people

Author: Plant-Based Matters

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked basmati rice (we use Lotus Foods Organic Basmati Rice)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tbsp grapeseed oil (or coconut oil)
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2- inch knob ginger minced
• 1 can (13.5 fl oz) full-fat unsweetened coconut milk (we use Edwards & Sons Organic Simple Coconut Milk)
• 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or water)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2-3 bay leaves
• Cilantro as a garnish (optional)

Instructions

• Using a fine mesh colander, rinse basmati rice under running water until water becomes almost clear. Drain well and set aside.
• Place cumin seeds in a medium pot. Turn on the heat at medium to medium high heat. Dry-roast the cumin seeds for 2-3 minutes until aromatic and dark brown. Take them out and set aside.
• Place the pot back to the stove. Reduce the heat to medium. Pour grapeseed oil (or coconut oil) then add garlic and ginger. Keep stirring and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly brown and fragrant.
• Next, add coconut milk, vegetable broth (or water), salt, a half of the dry-roasted cumin seeds (1/2 tsp), bay leaves, and the rinsed basmati rice. Stir well and cover it. Turn up the heat to high heat to bring it to boil, then reduce the heat to medium low to low. Let it simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove from the heat. Keep it covered and let it stand for 5-10 minutes.
• Take the bay leaves out. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve with the remaining dry-roasted cumin seeds (1/2 tsp) on top. Garnish with cilantro (optional.)

Did you make this recipe?Mention @plantbased_matters or tag #plantbased_matters!