I had coconut rice at a restaurant in Houston once and fell in love with the subtle taste. Unsweetened coconut milk adds a very rich and delicious twist to traditional white rice. For this recipe, I usually use an Asian short-grain rice, but store brands such as Adolphus and Mahatma work just as well.

Rice & Spice, an excellent vegetarian cookbook for rice lovers. The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook, get great ideas on how to use your new appliance (not veg*n). Both books can be purchased from Amazon.com.

This is a recipe for rice cooker rice. I've had my own rice cooker ever since I was in college -- to me, stovetop rice just doesn't taste the same (and it's not as easy). At any rate, if you prefer the stovetop method, use the same liquid to rice ratios that you normally do, just substitute one can of coconut milk for part of the water.

Ingredients:
2 cups rice
1 can coconut milk + water

Directions

1. Put the dry rice into the bottom of the rice cooker.
   
2. Stir coconut milk in can if coconut cream has separated from the liquid.
   
3. Pour coconut milk into cooker.
   
4. Add water to cooker equal to the appropriate measure.
   
5. Cook as directed.

If the directions seem a bit hazy that is because all rice cookers are different. Most cookers have measurements indicated on the inside of the pot. They also come with their own measuring cup, which does not correspond to a standard American measure. Be sure to use this measuring cup whenever you use your rice cooker or else your ratios will come out wrong.

When cooking white rice on the stovetop, the rice to water ratio is usually one dry cup to one liquid cup.