Carrot Rice (with Stove top & Instant Pot Instructions)

Updated 5/11/2020

Carrot Rice is a great way to add additional vegetables to your rice. It is quick and easy and cooks in 20 minutes or less. It is perfect for weeknights. If you have an Instant Pot, it pressure cooks in 10 minutes! Don’t have an Instant Pot, get one by clicking here, you won’t regret it.

Coconut Milk versus Chicken Stock

I like adding coconut milk to my carrot rice. Originally when I posted this recipe in 2013 I used vegetable or chicken stock in the rice. Over time I started adding coconut milk instead. I prefer the flavor the coconut milk adds to the rice. Of course you can use store bought coconut milk, but whenever I can make my own coconut milk, I chose that over the store bought. Making coconut milk is very simple. In Guyana, we would first grate a dry/brown coconut, add water to the grated pulp, mix and squeeze with our hands to get the fat and creamy milk to really combine with the water, then strain with a sieve. It is that simple. In the US I buy grated frozen coconut from my local Asian market which significantly cuts down the prep time for making coconut milk.

How to make your own coconut milk at home

1. Add grated coconut to a large mixing bowl
2. Add 3 cups of water then mix together with the coconut pulp by squeezing
3. Continue to squeeze the pulp to extract the milk and fat
4. Strain the milk into a measuring cup using a very fine sieve (you may also line the sieve with muslin cloth
5. Squeeze the pulp to extract all the liquid
6. Fresh coconut milk

Cooking the Rice in a Skillet

I love cooking rice in a skillet versus a stock pot. The fluffiest rice I make is when I cook it in a skillet. It also cooks faster than when cooked in a stock pot. I think it is because the pot has a larger surface area but I’m no scientist! When cooking on the stove top, I cook all my seasoning, then add my washed rice, top it off with the carrots and then add the fresh coconut milk. Give everything a good stir, then reduce the heat to simmer, cover and let it do what it will do. Twenty minutes later perfection. Every single time!

Instant Pot Instructions

When cooking this rice in the instant pot, I sauté my seasoning, then add the washed rice, followed by the shredded carrots, spices and seasoning. Mix everything together and seal it up. Then I hit cancel to get the instant pot out of sauté mode, seal the instant pot up and hit the rice setting. This pressure cooks the rice on high for 10 minutes (not including the time it takes to pressure up). It’s quick and simple, but honestly it takes the same amount of time as if I made it on the stove top, so it just depends on what mood I’m in.

Fluff Your Rice

When the rice is done cooking most of the vegetables will settle around the pot/skillet. Using a fork, fluff the rice and then mix together well. Well cooked rice is not clammy and it fluffs up very easily. This rice is perfectly cooked. It has the right amount of coconut flavor without the heaviness of adding too much coconut milk. It is perfect.

SAVE IT FOR LATER

Carrot Rice

Althea Brown

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Rice cooked in coconut milk with carrots, herbs and spices

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Course Includes Instant Pot Instructions

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• ▢ 4 green onions thinly sliced
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic grated
• ▢ 1 cup of cherry or plum cut into halves
• ▢ I tablespoon dried or fresh thyme leaves
• ▢ 1 cup of shredded carrots
• ▢ 2 cups of Jasmine rice washed and drained
• ▢ 3 cups of coconut milk can substitute with vegetable broth or chicken stock
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ pinch of cayenne pepper optional

Instructions 

Stove Top Instructions

• Bring a large skillet up to temperature on medium heat
• Then add coconut oil, followed by the green onions, tomatoes and garlic
• Sauté until the tomatoes are soft then add the carrots, the washed rice, salt, thyme leave and pinch of cayenne pepper if using
• Sauté, mixing together well for about 2 minutes then add the coconut milk mixing well to combine
• Bring up to a boil uncovered
• Then reduce the heat to lowest possible heat, cover and let steam for about 20 minutes until the rice cooks
• After the rice cooks, remove from the heat and fluff with a fork before serving.

Instant Pot Instructions:

• Turn on Instant Pot in sauté mode
• When the display indicates that the Instant Pot is hot, add the coconut oil, followed by the green onions, garlic and tomatoes
• Sauté until the tomatoes are soft then add the carrots, the washed rice, coconut milk, salt, thyme leaves and pinch of cayenne pepper if using
• Mix together well, then hit cancel to take the Instant Pot out of Sauté mode
• Next seal up the Instant Pot, then set it to rice or high pressure for 10 minutes
• When the Instant Pot has completed its pressure cooking cycle, release the pressure then fluff your rice with a fork and serve

Notes

If using canned coconut milk, use 1 cup of coconut milk diluted with 2 cups of water

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The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.

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This Dish pairs perfectly with:

Crispy Salmon Nuggets

Oven Broiled Salmon

Instant Pot Oxtail Stew

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