If you're looking for the perfect side dish for any entree with an Asian flavor profile, look no further! Toasting the rice in a bit of butter, infusing the rice with the flavor of coconut milk and stock, then finishing the cooked rice with fresh herbs makes this rice far from boring! The left-over rice is a great addition to leftover Thai Spicy Chicken Soup, morphing both into another tasty dish!
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups Jasmine rice (or Basmati)
1 cup coconut milk (may use light)
1 1/2 cup chicken (or vegetable) broth
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup thinly-sliced chives or finely-chopped green onion tops
2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, choppedf
Melt the butter in a medium-large saucepan (with lid) over medium heat. Add the rice and raise the heat to medium-high. Stir and cook the rice until fragrant, and the grains become translucent around the edges. Add the coconut milk and broth all at once, and bring to a full boil. Cover with lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes. (Rice is done when all of the liquid is absorbed.)
Remove from the heat, add the herbs and fluff and stir with a fork until the herbs are evenly distributed. Serve immediately.