PilafVietnameseEasy

Vietnamese Coconut Rice Pilaf with Lemongrass

Name: Vietnamese Coconut Rice Pilaf with Lemongrass
Prep time: 16 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 41 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 cups (370 g) jasmine rice, rinsed in several changes of cold water until the water runs mostly clear; 1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or avocado; 1 medium (about 2 oz) (55 g) shallot, peeled and finely minced; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, peeled and finely minced; 2 scallions (20 g) scallion white and pale green parts, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp (15 g) lemongrass, tender inner white part of 1 stalk, outer layers and tough top removed, very finely minced; 1 stalk (about 1 oz) (30 g) lemongrass stalk, outer layers removed, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pieces, then smashed with the flat of a knife to bruise; 3 leaves (30 g) pandan leaves, fresh or thawed frozen, rinsed, then tied together in a loose knot; 1 can (13.5 oz) (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well and stirred until smooth; ¾ cup (180 ml) water, cold; 1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt; 2 tsp (8 g) granulated sugar; 2 scallions (20 g) scallion green parts, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp (10 g) unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted in a dry skillet (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fluffy jasmine rice toasted with shallot, garlic and lemongrass, then simmered in coconut milk with knotted pandan leaves. It is fragrant, lightly sweet and savory, and finished with fresh scallions and toasted coconut. It goes well with grilled meats, caramelized fish or a simple fried egg.

Prep: 16 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 25 min
Total: 1 hr 6 min
Makes: About 6 cups cooked rice (6 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 cups (370 g) jasmine rice, rinsed in several changes of cold water until the water runs mostly clear
1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
1 medium (about 2 oz) (55 g) shallot, peeled and finely minced
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, peeled and finely minced
2 scallions (20 g) scallion white and pale green parts, thinly sliced
2 tbsp (15 g) lemongrass, tender inner white part of 1 stalk, outer layers and tough top removed, very finely minced
1 stalk (about 1 oz) (30 g) lemongrass stalk, outer layers removed, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pieces, then smashed with the flat of a knife to bruise
3 leaves (30 g) pandan leaves, fresh or thawed frozen, rinsed, then tied together in a loose knot
1 can (13.5 oz) (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk, shaken well and stirred until smooth
¾ cup (180 ml) water, cold
1 tsp (6 g) fine sea salt
2 tsp (8 g) granulated sugar
To finish
2 scallions (20 g) scallion green parts, thinly sliced
2 tbsp (10 g) unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted in a dry skillet (optional)

Equipment (7)

Heavy 3-quart (2.8 L) pot with tight-fitting lid
Fine-mesh sieve
Medium bowl for rinsing rice
Chef's knife and cutting board
Small skillet (8-inch / 20 cm) for toasting coconut
Wooden spoon or heavy spatula
Fork or rice paddle for fluffing

Steps

Before you start

Shake the can of coconut milk very well before opening. Separated cream and water cook unevenly if you don't mix them.
Use a heavy 3-quart (2.8 L) pot with a tight-fitting lid. A loose lid lets steam escape and leaves the rice undercooked.
Frozen pandan leaves work fine. Thaw them in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes, then pat dry.
Plan on about 65 minutes in total. Most of that is soaking and resting, not hands-on work.

1
Rinse and soak rice
- Put the rice in a medium bowl and cover with cold water.
- Swirl with your hand, then pour off the cloudy water through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Repeat 4 to 5 times, until the water is only faintly milky.
- Leave the rice in the sieve set over a bowl to drain for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Rinse water is only faintly cloudy and the rice looks dry on the surface
Tip: Don't skip rinsing. Surface starch makes coconut rice gummy.
2
Prep the aromatics
- While the rice drains, mince the shallot and garlic.
- Slice the scallions thinly and keep the white parts and the green parts in separate piles.
- Trim the lemongrass, mince the tender inner white part of one stalk very finely, then cut the second stalk into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pieces and smash them with the flat of your knife.
- Rinse the pandan leaves and tie them in a loose knot.
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Ready when: Lemongrass pieces smell strongly citrusy after smashing
Tip: Mince the lemongrass as finely as you can. Coarse pieces stay woody in the finished rice.
3
Toast the coconut
- If using coconut flakes, put them in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until they are golden at the edges and smell nutty.
- Tip them onto a plate right away to stop the cooking.
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Ready when: Flakes are light golden brown and smell nutty
Tip: Coconut burns in seconds once it starts to color, so don't walk away.
4
Sauté the aromatics
- Heat the oil in the heavy pot over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the shallot, scallion whites and minced lemongrass.
- Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes until the shallot is soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Shallot is translucent and the garlic smells fragrant but hasn't browned
Tip: Lower the heat if the garlic starts to brown. Browned garlic turns bitter.
5
Toast the rice
- Add the drained rice to the pot.
- Stir for 2 minutes so each grain is coated in oil and the rice looks slightly more opaque and smells faintly nutty.
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Ready when: Grains look opaque and glossy, and they sound slightly dry as you stir
6
Add liquids and simmer
- Pour in the coconut milk and water.
- Add the salt, sugar, smashed lemongrass pieces and knotted pandan.
- Stir once, scraping up any rice stuck to the bottom.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes, with small bubbles breaking across the surface.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break across the whole surface and the liquid tastes lightly salty
Tip: Stir only this once. Stirring later releases starch and makes the rice sticky.
7
Cover and cook
- Tuck the pandan and lemongrass down into the rice so they are partly submerged.
- Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
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Ready when: Steam escapes in thin wisps, with no sound of vigorous bubbling and a faint coconut aroma
Tip: If your lid is loose, put a clean kitchen towel under it, folding the corners up away from the burner.
8
Rest off the heat
- Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered and undisturbed for 10 minutes.
- The residual steam finishes cooking the top layer of rice.
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Ready when: No visible liquid remains when you lift the lid
Tip: Resting is what keeps the grains separate instead of mushy.
9
Fluff and finish
- Lift out the pandan and lemongrass pieces and discard them.
- Fluff the rice gently with a fork or rice paddle, using a folding motion from the bottom to the top.
- Fold in the scallion greens.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Serve hot, topped with the toasted coconut if using.
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Ready when: Grains are tender, separate and fluffy, with a lightly creamy sheen
Tip: Don't stir hard. It breaks the grains and makes the rice mushy.

Good to know

Tips

Brands of coconut milk vary in thickness. If yours is very thick, whisk it with the water before adding it to the pot so it blends evenly.
Keep the heat low during the covered cook. Coconut milk scorches on the bottom of the pot more easily than plain water does.
A thin golden crust on the bottom is delicious. Scrape it up and serve it on top.
For a fuller flavor, let the pandan and lemongrass sit in the covered pot for the whole rest before removing them.

Make ahead

You can rinse and drain the rice up to 4 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Prep the aromatics up to 1 day ahead. Cooked rice reheats well, so you can make the whole dish 1 day ahead.

Storage & reheating

Cool the rice within 1 hour. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Don't leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. To reheat, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water per cup of rice, cover, and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway, until steaming hot. Or steam in a covered pan over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the coconut flakes fresh after reheating.

Substitutions

pandan leaves, fresh or thawed frozen → 1 bay leaf plus ¼ tsp vanilla extract, or simply omit. This gives a gentler, sweet aroma but won't match pandan's distinct flavor.
lemongrass stalk → 2 strips lime zest (no white pith). Use in place of the smashed stalk. The minced lemongrass can stay as is, or use zest for both.
jasmine rice → Thai long-grain white rice or basmati. Basmati needs about 2 tbsp (30 ml) more water and may need 2 to 3 extra minutes of cooking.
full-fat coconut milk → Light coconut milk (same amount). The rice will be less rich. Reduce the water to ½ cup (120 ml) to keep the ratio correct.

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Steps

Rinse and soak rice

Prep the aromatics

Toast the coconut

Sauté the aromatics

Toast the rice

Add liquids and simmer

Cover and cook

Rest off the heat

Fluff and finish

Good to know

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