Nigerian Coconut Rice with Shrimp

About This Recipe

Coconut rice is a milder, slightly sweeter alternative to jollof found across Nigeria, especially in the south where coconut is more widely used in cooking. The rice cooks directly in a mix of coconut milk and stock rather than water, giving it a rich, faintly sweet flavor that pairs naturally with shrimp or fish, and a golden hue that comes from a light touch of curry powder and turmeric rather than the heavy tomato base used in jollof. Blended bell pepper and a little scotch bonnet still form the aromatic backbone, but the coconut milk mellows the heat considerably, making this a good entry point for those who find straight jollof too intense. Shrimp are added toward the end of cooking so they stay tender and don't overcook while the rice finishes absorbing the coconut milk. The finished dish has tender, fragrant rice with a faint sweetness, plump shrimp, and a light golden color, usually finished with scallions or parsley and served alongside fried plantain, making it a popular choice for both everyday lunches and small celebrations.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 500 gshrimp(peeled and deveined)
• 2 cupslong-grain parboiled rice(rinsed)
• 1 can (400ml)coconut milk
• 1.5 cupschicken or vegetable stock
• 1red bell pepper(blended)
• 1onion(half blended, half diced)
• 0.5scotch bonnet chile(seeds removed)
• 3 tbspvegetable oil
• 1 tspcurry powder
• 0.5 tspground turmeric
• 2bay leaves
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 2 tbspscallions(sliced, for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Blend the aromatics

   Blend the red bell pepper, half the onion and scotch bonnet until smooth.

2. 2

   Fry the base

   Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Cook diced onion until soft, then add the blended pepper mixture, curry powder and turmeric. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes until slightly reduced.

3. 3

   Add rice and liquid

   Stir in rice, coconut milk, stock, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 20 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the shrimp

   Uncover, nestle the shrimp into the rice, then re-cover and cook another 5 to 7 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and the rice is tender.

   Adding the shrimp partway through rather than at the start keeps them from turning rubbery by the time the rice finishes cooking.

5. 5

   Rest and serve

   Let the pot sit covered off the heat for 5 minutes, then fluff gently. Garnish with scallions and serve with fried plantain.

Variations

• •

  Vegetable version: skip the shrimp and add chopped carrots, green beans and sweet corn with the rice.

• •

  Spicier: leave the seeds in the scotch bonnet, or add a whole chile instead of half for more heat.

• •

  Chicken coconut rice: replace shrimp with diced, pre-browned chicken thigh added at the same point in the cooking.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently with a splash of coconut milk or water to loosen the rice; avoid overheating the shrimp, which can turn tough.

Frequently Asked Questions