When Albert saw this recipe for coconut rice with shrimp and corn in the NY Times, he suggested turning it into tacos for a Thai-ish spin on Taco Tuesday. I took that suggestion and said “I like where your heads at, but let’s make it burritos and let’s add a sauce. So that’s exactly what we did. (In the end, my beau decided he didn’t want to bother with the tortilla and just at it as a rice bowl like the recipe originally intended. No surprise that the NYT knew what they were doing because he was very happy with his supper sans flair. I loved it as a burrito, but don’t feel the need to mess with anything if you don’t want to and just let it exist as an easy one-pot meal if that’s your thing.)
Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 chopped onion, 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger, 1 minced jalapeño, and ¾ tsp salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent before adding 1 1/2 c. rice and sautéing for another minute. Stir in 1 can (14-oz) full fat coconut milk and 1¼ c. water. Bring to a simmer, bring the heat down, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 lb shrimp and 1 1/2 c. corn (I used frozen), cover again, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp is cooked through and the rice is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Take the pot off the burner and stir in the zest of 1 lime and 1 c. torn basil. Add a bit more salt and serve with lime wedges and more basil for garnish. If wrapping up as a burrito, I also highly recommend some of Sir Kensington’s garlic everything sauce.
I had assumed the rice would just have a bit of coconut flavor but wouldn’t necessarily change in texture. Turns out it really does get nice and creamy, which made it extra enjoyable to eat. But don’t worry, it’s not super sweet – no piña colada over here. And it’s good that I found it enjoyable because this recipe makes a ton of rice. I’ve mentioned chicken and rice being my beau’s favorite type of meal, but sometimes you want to change up that protein and this is the perfect little update. Shrimp, coconut milk, and fresh herbs – get ready for summer!
Peaches to Apples 