Hawaiian Luau Rice is a little sweet, a little savory and little bit tropical and the perfect cure for the dog days of summer.
We have had about 2 weeks of non-stop rain in Hong Kong. Sideways rain is the worst, especially when waiting for the bus. Men in business suits with their trousers sticking to their legs and women who thought is was a good idea to wear a white blouse are now thinking twice about their fashion choices on rainy days. However today, I see for the first time a little blue sky and break in the clouds.
Here is a view from inside a sampan riding near the Aberdeen fishing village. As you can see the sky is still pretty cloudy but occasionally there is a little bit of blue shining through.
Have you even had a ride in a sampan boat? Well lets put it this way, you are in a mighty little boat compared to all of those big cargo ships and if you are prone to seasickness then this is not your mode of transport. Are you in need of any dried fish parts for your recipes?
How about some wine to settle your stomach for the sampan ride?
I thought not so lets get on with the recipe...
Sometimes, I need to close my eyes and think of a happy place in order to make these dull and rainy days go away. That happy place is always some place warm and tropical with white sand beaches, clear water, and plenty of sunshine. Having your own virtual vacation to Hawaii, is the perfect cure for those long dog rainy days. So crack out those coconut bras and grass skirts and lets get cooking.
Hawaiian Luau rice is a fun and easy tropical side dish that goes perfect with fish, chicken or just by itself. You can go on your own mini little vacation right here in your own kitchen. If it helps set the mood, put on a little Jimmy Buffett music and pour yourself a Mai Tai and have a little luau.
Hawaiian Luau Rice is a little sweet, a little savory and little bit tropical and the perfect cure for the dog days of summer. This is a great little dish to bring for a dish to pass at a gathering or for your own gathering at home as it really is a nice accompaniment to so many dishes such. If you are looking for a main dish to go with your Hawaiian Luau rice, please check out Sensational Summer Citrus Salmon or maybe even our Tropical Spa Mango Chicken or even our Peking Glazed Beer Butt Chicken .
You are also going to love this Lemon Rice recipe from Masala Herb with a fantastic step by step video.
Hawaiian Luau rice is always best cooked with day old long basmati rice. Please take a click here to gather the basic concepts of making Pantry Fried Rice.
We just made another bowl this mid morning as was having a craving and this time made with "red rice" instead of basmati. It was mighty fine. Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend.
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Hawaiian Luau Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cups basmati rice
or 2 cups cooked leftover rice of choice - 1.5 cups water
skip this ingredient if you already have cooked rice. - 2 tablespoon coconut oil
(your rice will really soak up the coconut oil quickly so use a non-stick pan) - ½ cup onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger
freshly grated ginger (or can substitute with ¼ teaspoon dried ground) - 2 cloves garlic
minced - ½ cup ham
sliced thinly ( I used deli ham but you can exchange with spam or fresh ham) - ½ cup desiccated coconut shredded (Can use fresh coconut shredded)
- 1 teaspoon chicken powder
(gluten free) 1-2 teaspoons to taste (this is chicken bouillon in the powdered form) - you can also use chicken bouillon cubes and just crush into a powder and you can add to taste. - ¼ teaspoon white pepper
or to taste - 1 cup pineapple
chopped fresh (can exchange with canned) - macadamia nuts -
toasted crushed garnish - optional - 2 tablespoon green onions - 2 tablespoons chopped for garnish - optional
Instructions
- The day or two before, wash your rice thoroughly. Add 1 cup of basmati rice and 1.5 cups of water to your pan and cover and simmer for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Fluff rice with fork. One cup of basmati rice when cooked will yield about 2 and ¾ cup rice. Allow rice to completely cool and place in the refrigerator over night. (You can use other leftover rice as well like Jasmine or short grain rice.)
- Toast your coconut in a non-stick skillet until in is toasty brown. Set aside.
- Toast the macadamia nuts in a dry pan until toasty. Chop coarsely. Set aside. (optional)
- Place your coconut oil, onions, garlic, ginger in the pan until aromatic. Add the ham and cook quickly until lightly golden.
- Add your cooked basmati rice, chicken powder and white pepper and mix quickly in your pan until all of the rice is covered evenly with the coconut oil and seasoning. Add the pineapple, green onions and toasted coconut back into the pan and continue stirring quickly, just until warmed. Reserve a little toasted coconut and green onions on the side for garnishing.
- Serve on plate and garnish with toasted crushed macademia nuts, toasted coconut and green onions. Enjoy!
Chandra says
Did anyone notice that it says a serving is 1 gram? That would be equivalent to about 15.5 single GRAINS of rice.
It shows the total recipe makes 4 servings so, using basic math skills, I'm guessing the serving should be actually 1 c., not 1g., but it would be nice if the recipe creator would clear this up.
I made this for a friend's potluck luau and got multiple requests for the recipe. It was definitely a hit and I will be making this a staple in my kitchen often and am going to try to re-create this into a low carb version (riced cauliflower, maybe) for my diet.
HWC Magazine says
Hi Chandra, thanks for noticing that typo. Yes, the serving is one cup and we have updated the recipe card. Delighted the potluck crew enjoyed our Hawaiian Luau Rice. You could certainly exchange with cauliflower rice to follow a low carb diet. Wishing you a super weekend.
Betsy says
Hi there!
If I’m using packaged, shredded coconut, should I use unsweetened, sweetened or medium sweet? Can’t wait to try it!
HWC Magazine says
Hi Betsy! Hawaiian Luau rice is best with unsweetened shredded coconut. Stay well an take care
Shemar says
Love this recipe! I made it even healthier by omitting the pork. I serve it along side plant based teriyaki meatballs and it's like a luau in your mouth. At my husband's request I've made it several times this summer and I never have to worry about leftovers because they are quickly eaten up. Thanks for sharing this recipe as it is on regular rotation in our house now.
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Shemar. Delighted your family is enjoying our Hawaiian luau rice recipe. It's always a crowd pleaser. I love your idea for keeping it plant based with the teriyaki meatballs on the side. Take Care
Valentina says
This sounds delicious! I'm all about tropical summertime fruits. (Love the music in the video, too!) 🙂 ~Valentina
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Valentina. Hawaiian Luau rice is a tried and true recipe that is perfect for those back yard summer gatherings. The pineapples have been so sweet this year.
Carlene says
I haven't made this in forever. I'm so glad I came across the recipe again because my kiddos and I absolutely LOVE it.
HWC Magazine says
Hi there Carlene. Thanks so much. Glad your kiddos love our Hawaiian Luau Rice. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to be first to know about our recipes. Enjoy your weekend and take care
Lynn Fenby says
It is hard to explain just how yummy this is....I made it, we all ate it, and now I am craving it like crazy. Very easy to make, but really, really delicious.
HWC Magazine says
Hi there Lynn. This recipes is an oldie but goodie we have been making for years. Hawaiian luau rice is one of those kinds of dishes where you put a little on your plate and then go back 3 or 4 times. Its that sweet and salty combo that everyone seems to like a lot.
Gina says
I’ve made this several times. It’s always a hit! Bam’s Luau Rice - is the best with Kalua Pork!
HWC Magazine says
Thanks so much Gina! We are delighted you are enjoying our recipe for Hawaiian Luau Rice. Sounds like the perfect side dish for Kalua pork.
Cynthia says
I am making this recipe for 30 ppl. What amount of rice would you cook
? How do you reheat without clumping/sticking?
HWC Magazine says
Hi there Cynthia! We have not made or tested this recipe on an industrial sized portion. However, if we were making our Hawaiian Luau Rice for a large group, we would follow these guidelines. A normal side serving of rice is 1/2 to 1 cup of COOKED Rice per person. (This recipe serves 4) I assume you will be serving other dishes along with our Hawaiian Luau Rice, correct?
Leftover rice is best as this prevents sticking and clumping. You will need to make several batches of rice. Cook the rice according to the directions on the package a day or 2 before the event. Do not overcook. (Do not use instant rice) Try adding a little oil to the water while cooking the rice. This will also help prevent sticking. The most important step is to refrigerate your rice at least overnight. Use cold leftover rice in the recipe. This is the secret to prevent the rice from clumping when you are stir frying it with the rest of your ingredients. Depending on the size of your cooking vessel, you will need to stir fry your rice with the added ingredients in SEVERAL individual batches (maybe 6 to 8 batches) so that it fries instead of steams in the pan. If you overload your pan or wok, it will stick and clump and steam. Instead make smaller batches and follow the directions. You may also choose to serve your Hawaiian Luau rice in a few large serving containers to keep it light and fluffy. Hope this helps and have fun at your event! Stay well and take care
Sarah says
Thank you!
I made Hawaiian Luau Rice for a church “Tropical Island” themed pot luck dinner. I’m allergic to onion so I omitted them. It was a perfect hit!
Bonus, my husband was eager to have it again!
Sarah
HWC Magazine says
Thanks so much Sarah. Delighted to hear that our Hawaiian Luau Rice was a hit for your potluck. Wishing you and your family a super week ahead. Take Care
Jill Dunford says
Can this recipe be made in advance and then frozen? We are having a family reunion at the beach, and I wondered if I could bring it already done?? It looks so good.
HWC Magazine says
Hello Jill, You can absolutely make this recipe in advance and either refrigerate for 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. After thawing, you can reheat on the stove top or in the microwave, as it is best served warm. Stay well and take care
Laura says
I made the rice, minus coconut oil (used olive instead). I added the green onions with the ham to give them a more pungent flavor, and used almost a tablespoon of bouillon. I served it with aidells chicken meatballs with teriyaki sauce. Delicious dinner!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Laura. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed our Hawaiian Luau rice recipe. Sounds like the perfect side dish to your teriyaki chicken meatballs. Wishing you a super week ahead.
Ken says
Snake Bile ? Glad you did not use that!
HWC Magazine says
I know crazy, right? I Wonder if the translation is correct. How is your Chinese character recognition? You will be happy to know that is None of that in this delicious Hawaiian Luau Rice recipe.
Raul says
I wish my wife seen this a month go. Next time.
HWC Magazine says
Thanks Raul. Our delicious Hawaiian Luau rice is delicious with so many mains like fish, pork or even on it's own with a salad on the side.
Cal says
I want to make this on Saturday. My friend made it and it was great.
HWC Magazine says
Thanks Cal. Our Hawaiian Luau Rice is always a crowd pleaser. Make your basmati rice today and tomorrow you can throw everything together for a super quick stir fry. Take Care