This recipe serves 3. You can double it to serve 6 but keep in mind that if you have any leftovers the rice will continue to absorb the stock and be more like creamy rice than soup. You can avoid this by cooking the rice in a separate pot and storing it separately. If you do this, you may want to reduce the quantity of stock by about a cup so that it's not overly brothy.
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and fry until soft and transparent.
Add the celery, carrot and garlic. Fry, stirring frequently, until beginning to soften - about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the thyme and flour and cook, stirring frequently, to cook off the raw flour taste - about 3 minutes.
Add the potato, rice and stock. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low and cover with a tight lid.
Simmer gently on low until the vegetables and rice are tender. The time depends on the brand of rice you use and your cooking preference. See post above for more details. Mine is done in 25 minutes but other brands take up to 45 minutes or more. If yours is absorbing a lot of the stock before it’s done, add a few more splashes.
When the rice is cooked to your preference, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately as the rice will continue to absorb the stock as it sits.
