Coconut Rice (2024)

How to Make Coconut Rice

How Does This Ayurvedic Recipe Improve Wellness?

Cool, soothing, and nourishing, it's no surprise that Coconut Rice is a staple of so many tropical cuisines. Your digestion is much weaker when the weather is warm than when it is cool. Luckily, coconut rice is easy enough for your body to break down and assimilate on those hotter spring and summer days. It cools heat and irritation in the digestive tract and thereby cools the blood. It leaves you feeling calm and satisfied. Use this cooling recipe to effortlessly balance a spicy dish, complement a curry, or enjoy alongside any vegetable dish.

Nourishing Ojas

Rice builds ojas. Ojas is said to have the smell of burnt rice, and is the vital essence of all bodily tissues. Good ojas makes a person look strong, healthy, and radiant. So, cooking basmati rice in nourishing, juicy coconut flakes offers your body a renewed storehouse of strength and vitality. Of the many varieties of rice, Basmati is the most sattvic, meaning that it encourages a peaceful state of mind. It also smells delicately sweet.

Easy to Digest

Rice is nourishing and easy to digest, making this recipe an excellent tonic for those who suffer from gas, bloating, or indigestion. Although brown rice has a higher nutritional profile, white rice is more readily nourishing. Coconut flakes are also a simple, soothing addition to rice that is also fairly easy to digest. Together, this dynamic duo creates a nourishing dish that won't bog down your GI.

Simmer Down

Sweet, sensual coconut calms the mind. Its healthy fats coat the nerves, relaxing anxieties and stressors. It also cools the liver, effectively softening your firey temper and increasing capacity for patience. The next time you feel reactive or on the brink of losing your cool, a pot of coconut rice for your next meal might cool your nerves like a soft blanket of snow.

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

INCREASES Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	COLD ABOUT COLD BIOCHARACTERISTIC Cold refers to anything that reduces body temperature, metabolism, and blood flow. LEARN MORE ABOUT COLD OILY ABOUT OILY BIOCHARACTERISTIC In Ayurveda, oily refers to anything moistening. More specifically, oily refers to building substances that increases fat, or are themselves fatty. For example, sugar is Oily. LEARN MORE ABOUT OILY HEAVY ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY EASY ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly. LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY CLEAR ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama. LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR LIQUEFIED ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	SWEET ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HERBAL ACTIONS (see all)	Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Coconut Rice Experiences are Personal Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition. Digestion: Antacid ANTACID Herbs that neutralize acidity in the gastrointestinal tract, the stomach in particular. SEE ALL 'ANTACID' FOODS / HERBS Mind, Stress & Sleep: Brain Tonic BRAIN-TONIC An herb that strengthens the brain and thereby enhances memory or other cognitive functions and improves mental stamina or stability. SEE ALL 'BRAIN-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Energy Vitality: Nutritive NUTRITIVE An herb that is strengthening and nourishing. SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS , Tonic TONIC A tonic herb restores function through strengthening tissue. This can happen through a combination of nourishing the tissue, and invigorating tissue metabolism. The tonic should not be withering, as in caffeine. SEE ALL 'TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Immune System: Anti Inflammatory ANTI-INFLAMMATORY Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems. SEE ALL 'ANTI-INFLAMMATORY' FOODS / HERBS Heart & Circulation: Refrigerant REFRIGERANT An herb or substance that strongly cools the body. Can be helpful in cases of heat conditions. SEE ALL 'REFRIGERANT' FOODS / HERBS , Blood Tonic BLOOD-TONIC An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency. SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Liver & Gallbladder: Livotonic LIVOTONIC An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene. SEE ALL 'LIVOTONIC' FOODS / HERBS Weight Loss: Raises Thyroid RAISES-THYROID An herb that increases thyroid function. SEE ALL 'RAISES-THYROID' FOODS / HERBS Reproductive Health: Promotes Virility PROMOTES-VIRILITY Encourages virility and potency. SEE ALL 'PROMOTES-VIRILITY' FOODS / HERBS Constituents: Soluble Fiber, Fats

Joyful Belly is a recognized school of biocharacteristics medicine.

Eat Well for Life With Ayurveda: Balance Your Dosha

About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda biocharacteristics. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs Joyful Belly's School of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's interest in Ayurveda and specialization in digestive tract pathology was inspired by a complex digestive disorder acquired from years of international travel, as well as public service work in South Asia. John's commitment to the detailed study of digestive disorders reflects his zeal to get down to the roots of the problem. His hope and belief in the capacity of each & every client to improve their quality of life is nothing short of a personal passion. John's creativity in the kitchen and delight in cooking for others comes from his family oriented upbringing. In addition to his certification in Ayurveda, John holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University.

John enjoys sharing Ayurveda within the context of his Catholic roots, and finds Ayurveda gives him an opportunity to participate in the healing mission of the Church. Jesus expressed God's love by feeding and healing the sick. That kindness is the fundamental ministry of Ayurveda as well. Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with his wife and 7 kids, and pursuing his love of theology, philosophy, and language.

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You can usually find dry coconut flakes in health food stores. In local grocery stores the coconut flakes are usually mixed with sugar and moistened. These should be avoided.

If you have a mid eastern grocery store nearby they carry coconut flakes....

This is my new comfort food. Love it!Laura, 03/26/14

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Laura Klover, Lenexa, AZ

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03-26-14

(Reply)

I serve apples stewed in organic apple juice with the cinnamon and nutmeg or cardamom over this coconut rice. It is delicious!

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Holly Mcspadden, Ellabell, GA

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04-16-14

(Reply)