Serves 4
ONE DAY, I was in the mood for rice—especially an Indian-inspired rice—but too much grain tends to inflame me and I didn’t want to go there. How could I reconcile my two desires? I decided to take some of my favorite anti-inflammatory ingredients and marry them to rice, hoping that would keep the inflammation at bay. And it worked! The result was this amazing dish, which has turned out to be one of my all-time favorites. The combination of coconut and nuts makes this rich enough to be a meal unto itself, but you could also serve it as a side to Baked Wild Salmon in Parchment (here). If nuts are a problem for you, simply leave them out.
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
½ teaspoon coconut oil
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of cloves
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 cup basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed
¾ cup filtered water
1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Scatter the walnuts on the lined baking sheet and toast in the oven until warm and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, coat a medium saucepan with the coconut oil and heat over medium heat until it sizzles. Remove from the heat, add the turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper, and let sit for 2 minutes.
Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat evenly. Add the water and coconut milk, place over high heat, and bring just to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. Fluff with a fork, fold in the walnuts, and season with salt. Serve warm. The rice will keep covered in the refrigerator for about a week.