Creamy Coconut-Lime Rice With Peanuts

By Christian Reynoso

Updated June 27, 2024

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(3,318)
Comments
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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

  • 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed

  • 1 (13- to 14-ounce) can coconut milk 

  • Salt and pepper 

  • 1 (1 ½-inch) piece ginger

  • 2 large garlic cloves

  • 2 limes 

  • ½ 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)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

63 grams carbs; 582 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 35 grams fat; 9 grams fiber; 684 milligrams sodium; 14 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook the rice according to the packaging instructions until tender, replacing 1 ¼ cups of the cooking water with 1 ¼ 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,318 user ratings
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Comments

Sheri I.

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 W

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.

SusanW

@Sheri I.: You can post a "private" note instead of a "public" note; see the options below the "Add note" box.

Peter M.

I wanted to turn this into more of a dinner, so I sautéed fresh chopped kale and then seitan, and added them at the end.

Hayley

The flavors in this were phenomenal and I would 100% make it again. HOWEVER, the coconut milk ratio is way off. You should at MOST be putting 1/2 cup in to cook with the rice. Any more and it’s a fatty, gummy, mess that could be easily avoided. I served mine with pan seared sea scallops with a squeeze of lime on top.

Donna

This is absolutely delicious! I used dried mint and frozen cilantro, Dorot brand, because I didn't have fresh. I'm sure it's better with fresh, but it was still delicious.

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