Coconut pulao is a delicious one-pot meal that is so easy to make in the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. This silky and comforting vegan rice dish goes great with other mild curries or simply pair with cooling raita.
INSTANT POT COCONUT MILK VEGETABLE PULAO
Rich coconut milk and coconut oil lend a delicate flavour to this mild yet aromatic pulao. Whole spices give some warmth and the long grain basmati rice rounds this dish off perfectly.
We have added some frozen mix vegetables (carrot, sweetcorn, peas, green beans) for more flavour and to bulk out the pulao
I prefer to keep this rice dish mild so there are not many added spices.
I have already posted my family's favourite Mexican rice with coconut, coriander and lime here on JCO, now I want to share this mildly Indian flavoured pulao rice because most of the time, I make this version with most of the bean curries. That's because it is so easy to make, also includes my favourite veggies too 😍
Tips for the best rice in Instant Pot:
wash the rice thoroughly under cold running water - the water must be cold and not warm/hot as the rice will start cooking and we only want it to soak
leave the rice to soak - this step is optional but does get you a better end result
all rices cook slightly differently. You may find that your rice takes less or more time than ours to cook, in which case, adjust the setting accordingly. My advice would be to always start on lower minutes and increase if need be.
we have used a 1:1:1 ratio of rice to coconut milk to water
we have cooked for 2 min on Low Pressure and Quick Release
Don't forget to check out our other delicious vegan and vegetarian instant pot recipes before you start making this rice dish 😄
🥥Ingredients:
Basmati Rice
Frozen mixed vegetables - carrot, sweetcorn, pea, and green beans
Whole spices - bay leaf, clove, cinnamon, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom
White onion - sliced lengthwise
Garlic and ginger - minced or pureed
Cashew nuts - provide texture and richness.
Coconut Milk - we used thick tinned coconut milk.
Coconut Oil - you can also use other cooking oils such as sunflower, olive or vegetable
How to serve coconut milk pulao
While I am at work, away from home I need quick and easy meals so I pair up this rice with chickpea and coconut curry or red kidney bean and coconut curry (so I can finish the can of coconut milk in both dishes) 😋
Also, you can serve this pulao rice with any meal where you'd serve this takeaway style pilau rice. Serve it with Instant pot palak paneer , corn on the cob curry with coconut or my grandma's spring onion kadhi. - plenty to choose from!
Roasted tomato raita is also a wonderful companion for this rice, alongside with a fresh and colourful salad.
Can I make this rice without Onion Garlic?
Store:
Keeps in the fridge for ⅔ days in an airtight container, reheat in the microwave before serving.
You can also freeze this rice for later. Once it cools down totally, store it in a freezer-proof container or heavy-duty freezer bags.
Store no more than 6-8 weeks, thaw thoroughly before reheating.
Stovetop Coconut Milk Pulao Rice
Other rice recipes
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COCONUT PULAO RICE INSTANT POT
Equipment
- Instant pot
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- 1 cup frozen mix vegetables
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ " cinnamon bark
- 3-4 cardamom pods
- 2 cloves
- 1 onion chopped - small
- 1 tsp. ginger-garlic minced
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp. freshly chopped coriander
Instructions
- Arrange inner pot in the instant pot.
- Select saute mode and heat oil.
- Add all the whole spices and saute until they crackle.
- Now add cashew nuts and let it brown.
- Then add onion slices and saute until light pink in colour.
- Now add ginger-garlic, fry further for a minute or so.
- Tip in mixed vegetables and cook.
- Add soaked rice and fry it for a minute.
- Add coconut milk, warm water and salt.
- Stir and cancel the saute mode.
- Close the pot with the lid and turn the valve on sealing position.
- Select LOW-PRESSURE COOK and press + - button for 2 minutes on the display panel.
- Once done quick release the pressure.
- Fluff the rice using a fork and leave it for 5 minutes. Then gently mix using a spatula.
- Sprinkle coriander and serve hot.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Jill says
What water/time adjustments would I need if I use brown basmati rice?
Hayley says
@Jill, thank you for stopping by.
For 1 cup brown basmati rice take 1 1/4 cup water and cook in the Instant pot on HIGH Pressure for 18 minutes. Hope this helps.
Unknown says
Hello, how much water do you add before closing the valve and sealing it? And how many cashews do you add?
jcookingodyssey says
1 cup rice 1 cup coconut milk and 1 cup water. 2-3 tbsp cashew nuts
Natalie says
My son loves rice and I'm always looking for new rice recipes for him. This looks fantastic and so delicious. I just saved the recipe and will make this for him. Thanks!
Anna says
Love how fluffy and light this rice looks! Such a perfect meal, but equally delicious as a side dish! Easy and fuss-free recipes like this one are my favourite!
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you Anna, this one is my favourite too 🙂
Alex says
One pot meals are the best! Bonus for the pressure cooker. This looks so simple but tasty!
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you Alex, absolutely pressure cooker is a boon for Indian cooking.
Erin says
Oooh, cardamom pods! That's something I've never used. I'm so intrigued. This sounds really delicious!
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you Erin, we LOVE cardamom in almost every dish, brings out good flavours and aroma to any dish.
Amy Liu Dong says
Oh my goodness, I love this rice recipe and I am pretty sure that it is delicious. I will definitely making this tomorrow for lunch.
jcookingodyssey says
Thanks Amy, please do let us know how you like this recipe 🙂
Sharon says
I'm always looking for new rice side dishes to make and this coconut rice is easily becoming one of my favorites!
jcookingodyssey says
So glad to know that Sharon:)
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy says
I love coconut rice. This looks wonderful. The perfect side dish for any day of the week.
jcookingodyssey says
Thank you Gloria, happy that you liked this recipe.