Your taste buds will go wild with this sweet and savory bowl of tropical goodness! Milky coconut rice with a hint of sweetness, topped with fresh mango, avocado, young coconut, and a drizzle of balsamic reduction sauce. These flavors come together to make the greatest combo for a delicious brunch!
This recipe was one of those that I just had in my head and didn’t quite know if it would work. I could almost taste it, and in my head, it tasted good! Needless to say, I was quite pleased with the way it came out. Just as I’d imagined actually, otherwise I wouldn’t be here sharing it with you.
I say it was in my head, but that’s not to say it didn’t have a little help getting there. I came across a pic on Instagram of mango, avocado, and one other type of tropical fruit which I can’t quite remember. It had a drizzle on top, which at first glance I thought was balsamic but ended up being grenadine, so completely different. What I thought I saw sounded extremely good, even if somewhat unusual, and well, it stuck in my head.
I knew for an actual meal I couldn’t just do some fruit with a little drizzle. It would need more substance. That’s how I came up with the rice. It’s almost like a rice pudding, but not quite. More like milk bathed, I suppose. If that’s a thing?
I hadn’t a clue if I was going to be able to pull this off because I’d never made anything like it. I’m not sure if I’d ever even eaten anything like it. I had rice pudding once as a kid and didn’t like it one bit, lol! So it’s interesting to me that not only did I think of it and made it successfully on my first try, but also that I enjoyed it sooo much! Funny how much our tastes buds change as time goes on.
To make the rice, which is the first step, I used my rice cooker. I wanted to use the water from the coconut but didn’t think I’d have quite enough. First I put two rice cups of rinsed Calrose rice in the cooker pot (I say rice cups because the cups on a rice cooker aren’t actually 8 ounces). I opened the coconut and poured the water into a bowl. I was happily surprised the coconut water filled exactly to the 2 line in the rice pot! Of course, all coconuts are different, and you may be a little shy. In that case, just use regular water until you reach the line. Along with the coconut water I mixed in a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
While the rice cooked, I started my reduction sauce, chopped my produce, and scooped out the coconut flesh. To make the reduction sauce, bring one cup of balsamic vinegar to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer, and keep it there for about 15 – 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once reduced and thickened, remove from heat and set aside. You’ll want to give it a chance to cool some, as it will thicken even more.
After the rice cooker stopped, I poured in one can full-fat coconut milk, 1 1/2 tablespoons raw cane sugar, and a light sprinkle of sea salt. I mixed these in completely, closed the lid, and let it sit on warm for 15 minutes. After that first 15 minutes, I opened the rice cooker back up, poured in another can of coconut milk and added one more tablespoon of the sugar. Closed the lid again and let it sit on warm for another 10 minutes. I thought it was perfect! My husband would have preferred it a little sweeter, so I suggest tasting and adding in another 1/2 – 1 tablespoon of sugar if you so desire.
Now we can plate… or bowl rather! I added rice to the bottom of my cool coconut bowls, topped with diced mango and avocado, then a little of the coconut. Finally, drizzle some balsamic reduction over the top. Sweet, savory, a little tang — the ingredients compliment each other so well in this dish.
As I think I’ve said, at least once now, I really love the way this came out. I can’t wait to make it for friends or relatives when they come to visit!
Delicious, and beautiful! When you make this, take a pic and tag me on Instagram so I can see the beauty of your Tropical Brunch Bowl as well! @veggiesattiffanis
Tropical Brunch Bowl with Balsamic Drizzle
Ingredients
- 2 rice maker cups Calrose rice, rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 young coconut you'll be using the water as well as the flesh
- 2 cans unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 Tbsp raw cane sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- sprinkle sea salt
- 3 mangos* diced
- 2 large avocados* diced
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar (or buy a bottle of premade balsamic reduction sauce and skip step 2)
Instructions
- Add rice to rice maker. Remove top to young coconut and pour coconut water into rice maker to the "2" line. If you don't have enough, fill the rest of the way with regular filtered water, or store bought coconut water. Add the vanilla and give rice a stir. Close lid and use the white rice setting to cook.
- Add one cup balsamic vinegar to a medium sauce pan. Bring too a boil and then turn heat down to maintain a low simmer. Continue to simmer 15 to 30 minutes until vinegar is reduced and thick. Remove from heat. Once cooled your reduction sauce with thicken even more.
- Once the rice cooker is finished, open, add one can coconut milk, a light sprinkle of sea salt, and 1 1/2 Tbls of the sugar. Stir well, close lid, and leave on warm for 15 minutes.
- If you've yet to do so dice your avocado and mango. I dice them both in fairly larger chunks. Using a metal spoon, scrape the inside of your coconut to remove the flesh. chop in smaller, bite sized pieces.
- Once 15 minutes has passed, add another can of coconut milk and 1 more tablespoon of the sugar to the rice cooker. Again stir, close, and let sit on warm, this time for only about 10 minutes.
- Open rice cooker, stir rice, taste, and if desired add another 1/2 - 1 tablespoon more sugar (I left mine as is).
- To serve, fill the bottom of breakfast bowls with rice, top with diced mango and avocado, then a smaller amount of the coconut. Drizzle with balsamic reduction sauce. Enjoy!