Easy Weeknight Shrimp and Coconut Rice

Got leftover rice? Make this easy and flavorful recipe for a tasty mid-week meal.

Lately I have been eating mostly complex carbs like sweet potatoes or squash but once in a while I want a little rice such as Jasmine or Basmati. So, when I do have that urge, I buy the pre-cooked versions you can get at Whole Foods. It's just enough to enjoy with two to three meals for a single person or enough for two people.

This past week I picked a jasmine rice packet to have with the chicken I had cooked for the week, but as I was looking at the different options and saw one that was flavored with cilantro and lime, it gave me an idea. What if another day this week I took the can of unsweetened coconut milk in my pantry and made my version of a Thai coconut rice? So, that's what I did with the leftover rice. I did not have cilantro, but I did have dried dill and thought that might be a nice combination. As it turns out, I was right.

Below is the dish I put together in just about 30 minutes. Hope you'll try it and let me know if you liked it.

Shrimp and Coconut Broccoli Dill Rice

Ingredients

¼ lb raw shrimp

½ cup broccoli florets

½ cup can of unsweetened coconut mile

1 cup pre-cooked jasmine rice

Dried dill to taste (I added two good pinches)

Trader Joe’s Green Goddess Seasoning Blend

Directions

Prep broccoli and shrimp so they are ready to go as this goes pretty quickly. Cut the broccoli florets from the stalk into bite size pieces and remove the shells from and devein the shrimp. Note: I typically buy whatever shrimp is on sale and often buying it with the shell on is less expensive so I remove the shells off myself.

Heat sauté pan on medium heat. While the sauté pan is heating up, season the shrimp with the Green Goddess seasoning. Then, in a small saucepan, add your rice and coconut milk and bring to a simmer over low to medium heat. Hint: if your rice appears to be sticking to the pan, just add a bit more coconut milk. Heat for 1-2 minutes then add your broccoli florets and put a lid on it to steam the broccoli to fork tender.

While the broccoli is steaming, add a tablespoon or so of olive oil to the sauté pan and add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on one side then turn, cook for another 1-2 minutes. You will know that the shrimp is done when they have turned pink and are no longer opaque in the middle.

Before plating add a pinch or two of dried dill to the rice and stir to mix in. Plate the rice on the bottom of your serving dish then top with the shrimp. Add another sprinkling of dill if you’d like.