Swahili Coast · side

Wali wa Nazi (Coconut Rice)

Wali wa Nazi (Coconut Rice) reads warm spice 6.0, sweetness 5.4 and floral 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Swahili Coast side, about 1 hr 10 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Warm Spice 6.0 · Sweetness 5.4 · Floral 4.3 · Salinity 3.6 · Richness 3.5 · Fruity 3.0 · Allium 2.4 · Nutty 2.0 · Earthy 1.5 · Herbaceous 1.4 · Umami 0.9 · Bitterness 0.8 · Citrus 0.7 · Sourness 0.6

What's in it (8)

Time & effort: about 1 hr 10 min (59 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 179.6 kcal, 4.1 g protein, 4 g fat, 34.3 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

  1. Grate the coconut flesh on the fine side of a box grater, or on a mbuzi if you have one - the low stool with a serrated blade that every Zanzibari kitchen keeps.
  2. Put the grated coconut in a bowl with 250 ml (1 cup) of the warm water, work it hard with your hands for 2 minutes, then squeeze it out through a sieve or muslin. This first, thick press is tui la kwanza; set it aside.
  3. Return the pressed coconut to the bowl with the remaining 500 ml (2 cups) warm water, work and squeeze again, and strain. This thin second press is tui la pili, and it is what the rice will cook in.
  4. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and soak it 20 minutes, then drain well.
  5. Warm the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and cook the onion 4 minutes, until soft but not coloured.
  6. Add the crushed cardamom pods and let them sizzle in the oil for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  7. Add the drained rice, the thin coconut milk, the salt and the sugar. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 12 minutes, until the liquid is almost gone and craters open on the surface.
  8. Pour the reserved thick coconut milk evenly over the rice, cover again, and cook on the lowest heat for 8 minutes more. Do not stir - the thick milk should sink through rather than be worked in.
  9. Rest off the heat, covered, for 10 minutes, then fork through gently and serve alongside a fish curry or mbaazi.

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Keep reading: what warm spice, sweetness, floral mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.