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Hibiscus coconut rice dessert recipe made with Carolina Gold rice.
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Hibiscus coconut rice dessert made with Carolina Gold rice

A steamed rice dessert made with Hibiscus sabdariffa calyxes (roselles), Carolina Gold rice, and other ingredients - sweetened with honey.
Course Dessert
Cuisine African, American, Asian
Keyword Carolina Gold rice dessert, Hibiscus dessert, hibiscus sabdariffa, Steamed rice dessert
Cook Time 1 hour
Soaking time 12 hours
Servings 5
Author Aaron von Frank

Equipment

  • 1 Rice steamer or improvised rice steamer as per article notes
  • 1 quart jar
  • 1 saucepan

Ingredients

Hibiscus spiced tea

  • 2 cups water
  • 6 grams DRIED Hibiscus sabdariffa roselles, or about 1/2 cup (if using fresh roselles, you’d probably use closer to 1 cup)
  • 12 grams diced fresh lemongrass, or about 3 heaping tbsp (dried lemongrass is fine too)
  • 6 grams diced ginger (preferably baby ginger), or about 2 tbsp
  • 2 makrut lime leaves, diced - fresh or dried (Aka Thai lime or kaffir lime)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • pinch of salt

Soaked rice

  • 1 cup Carolina Gold rice, rinsed four times then strained
  • 1 3/4 cups hibiscus roselle spiced tea (all the tea from previous step, measured after straining)

Coconut milk-roselle tea sauce

  • 13.5 ounces whole organic coconut milk (1 can)
  • 1 1/2 cups hibiscus roselle spiced tea - strained from rice in prior step
  • 6 grams dried hibiscus roselles, about 1/2 cup (or 1 cup fresh roselles)
  • 1/3 cup honey

Instructions

To make hibiscus spiced tea

  • Place all ingredients in small saucepan with LID ON over medium-low heat for 25 minutes. (If using an induction burner, set to 210°F / 99°C.)
  • Remove from heat and let mixture return to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Strain and set aside tea for next step.  
  • Optional: Turn strained tea ingredients into powder to use for garnish, and/or use some of the Hibiscus roselles to make candied roselles. Details in article.

To soak rice

  • Rinse rice in bowl four times, dumping water after each rinse. (Use rinse water for indoor plants.) Strain rice after fourth rinsing.
  • Combine strained rice plus hibiscus spiced tea in quart jar. Place in fridge for 8-12 hours, stirring at least once at halfway point.
  • Strain out rice and set roselle tea aside.

To make coconut milk-roselle tea sauce and steamed rice

  • See rice steaming notes, instructions, and additional resources in article. We steamed our Carolina Gold rice for about 25 minutes, then let it sit for 5 minutes before removing from the steamer.
  • At same time as rice is steaming, make your coconut milk-roselle sauce. Put all ingredients in saucepan over medium heat and slowly bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, turn heat down to low and let simmer for another 20 minutes. Strain out hibiscus roselles for a smoother, more uniform-colored sauce. 
  • Optional: Strain hibiscus roselles and blend with 1/2 cup of the finished, base coconut hibiscus sauce to make a second darker, tangier sauce to drizzle over rice when plating.
  • Serve warm. See plating notes in article.