Creamy Coconut-Lime Rice With Peanuts

Name: Creamy Coconut-Lime Rice With Peanuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed; 1 (13- to 14-ounce) can coconut milk; Salt and pepper; 1 (1 1/2-inch) piece ginger; 2 large garlic cloves; 2 limes; 1/2 cup roasted and salted peanuts, crushed; 2 tablespoons peanut butter; 2 teaspoons granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons sambal oelek; 2 cups ripe cherry tomatoes, halved (about 10 ounces); 1 cup roughly chopped mixed herbs (such as dill, cilantro or mint)

By Christian Reynoso

Updated June 28, 2024

Creamy Coconut-Lime Rice With Peanuts — Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 5(2,326)
Comments: Read comments

Coconut milk does double duty here in this light yet hearty rice dish that straddles the line between side salad and pilaf-like main. First the rice is simmered in creamy coconut milk, then the remaining milk is used to make a soothing dressing spiked with lime juice, peanut butter, toasted peanuts and garlic, with a little added heat from chile sauce. Fresh cherry tomatoes and chopped herbs turn it all into a rice salad that can be a flavorful side for grilled chicken or the base for fried eggs.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1cup uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed
1(13- to 14-ounce) can coconut milk
Salt and pepper
1(1½-inch) piece ginger
2large garlic cloves
2limes
½cup roasted and salted peanuts, crushed
2tablespoons peanut butter
2teaspoons granulated sugar
2teaspoons sambal oelek
2cups ripe cherry tomatoes, halved (about 10 ounces)
1cup roughly chopped mixed herbs (such as dill, cilantro or mint)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Cook the rice according to the packaging instructions until tender, replacing 1¼ cups of the cooking water with 1¼ cups of the coconut milk. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork, transfer to a serving bowl and season with salt and pepper — it should taste well-seasoned and almost buttery — and let cool.
Step 2
While the rice is cooking, add ¼ cup coconut milk to another bowl. Finely grate the ginger and garlic into the bowl, followed by the zest of 1 lime. Then, juice both limes into the bowl. Whisk in ¼ cup of the peanuts, the peanut butter, sugar and sambal and season with salt.
Step 3
When ready to serve, add the tomatoes and ¾ cup of the herbs to the bowl with the rice. Pour in the coconut dressing, toss well to coat, season with pepper and top with remaining ¼ cup crushed peanuts and ¼ cup herbs. For the best flavor, serve at room temperature the day it’s made.

Ratings

5 out of 5

2,326 user ratings

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Comments

Sheri I.11 months ago

This seems like it would be delicious with mango instead of tomatoes and a very finely minced serrano pepper added to the dressing. Also wishing NYT Cooking had a place to put your own notes in a recipe so it shows up when you go to make it again.

Tara W11 months ago

I made this for lunch today exactly as written and it came out perfectly. The very first thing I did was wash the herbs (basil, cilantro) and set them out to dry. Then, I sliced the cherry tomatoes, lightly salted and drained them for a bit of time so as to not add moisture to the salad. Made the rice on the stove top, put everything together, and my vegan gluten-free guests loved it. It’s very filling. I served some fresh pineapple chunks on the side.

Margaret Curry11 months ago

Would siracha sub for the sambal oelek and sugar?

Debbie8 hours ago

Add a couple of tablespoons of shredded dehydrated coconut (unsweetened) to each serving along with the peanuts.

Banjoey.17 hours ago

I made it as written, except for tomatoes, because they are not good for my health. I was excited to try it out, but in the end it was boring. Maybe rather than basil, I should have tried cilantro. I’m not going to save the recipe.

Above Average Commenter2 days ago

10 minutes prep time? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha... maybe if you have a sous chef to lovingly establish your mis en place, and all you have to do is swan in and assemble. Worth the time, though -- I'm sure it will go faster each time I make it, and I will certainly make it again. I did have to make a few mods: swapped cashews for peanuts since we were out (recommended!). I can't eat raw garlic, so I steamed the whole cloves by plopping them on top of the rice while it cooked, which mellowed them out nicely, then ran them through the garlic press into the sauce. I was also out of jasmine rice, so had to sub long grain. I cooked the rice (2 c. dry) on the stovetop instead of my usual pressure cooker method: rinsed rice well, then brought 1.5 c. water plus 1 c. coconut milk to a boil with 1 T. sugar and 1/2 t. salt. Added the rice and brought back to boil, then covered and reduced heat to low for 18 minutes. I didn't plan ahead, so served immediately while still quite hot. The flavor intensified throughout the meal as the rice got cooler. Next time, I'll cook the rice ahead of time and refrigerate overnight, then warm to room temp. The heat level was perfect for my Minnesota palate, but it's easy for the more adventuresome to customize.

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