What's On the Side: Coconut-Lime Cilantro Rice

We probably eat some form of tacos or burrito bowls at least once a week -- they are our go-to meal option when either nothing has been planned for dinner or evening plans require a quick meal. I typically serve rice with our Mexican-inspired meals, either plain or lightly jazzed up with the addition of taco seasoning (my favorite is from Penzey's) or fresh cilantro.

Last week we had another round of fish tacos for dinner (baked sans breading this time), and to make things just a little more interesting I opted to make a more flavorful rice to serve as a side-dish. This rice gets its flavor from the substitution of coconut milk and veggie stock (or you could use chicken stock if you prefer) for some of the water that it cooks in, and then it gets an extra flavor boost with the addition of fresh lime juice and zest along with fresh cilantro, which gets stirred in once the cooking period is complete. The resulting rice dish has a hint of tropical flavor, but it isn't overwhelming. I wanted the rice to complement the flavors of the fish tacos without competing for attention, and this dish fit the bill perfectly.

What are your favorite sides to serve alongside tacos?

Coconut-Lime Cilantro Rice (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

1 1/2 cups white rice
1/2 cup lite organic coconut milk (or you could use full-fat for a richer flavor)
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
2 cups filtered water
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped fine

1. Add the rice, coconut milk, vegetable stock, and water to the rice cooker. Cook according to your machine's instructions (I used the regular rice setting.) If you do not have a rice cooker, cook the rice as you normally would on the stovetop.
2. After the rice has cooked, stir in the lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro.

(adapted from this Melissa d'Arabian recipe)