Indian

South Indian Peanut Rice

Peanut rice coats rice in ground roasted peanuts, a dry South Indian dish that travels well.

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South Indian Peanut Rice

20 mintotal

Prep 10 min · Cook 10 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
Mild

Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Method

  1. Dry Roast the Peanuts: In a small pan, dry roast the raw groundnuts on low heat until the skins start to crack and they become crunchy. Let them cool, then lightly crush them into coarse pieces (do not make a fine powder).

  2. Heat sesame oil in a wide kadai or pan on medium heat. Sesame oil provides the traditional South Indian aroma.

  3. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add the urad dal and chana dal. Sauté on low heat until the dals turn a deep golden brown.

  4. Add the broken dry red chilies, fresh curry leaves, and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.

  5. Add the coarsely crushed roasted peanuts into the tempering and mix well for 10-15 seconds.

    10 sec–15 sec

  6. Turn the heat to the lowest setting. Add the cooked, cooled rice and salt to the pan.

  7. Gently toss and mix everything together ensuring the tempered oil and peanuts evenly coat the rice grains. Cook for 2 minutes just to heat the rice through.

    2 min

  8. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

    5 min

How to tell it's done

Soft, separate rice grains combined with a highly satisfying crunch from roasted lentils and peanuts.

Nutrition

Per serving, from 2 servings.

479kcal

Where the calories come from

  • Protein11.8 g10%
  • Carbohydrate49.5 g41%
  • Fat26.9 g49%
Sugars
1.8 g
Saturated fat
3.7 g
Fibre
3.6 g
Sodium
881 mg
Potassium
282 mg
Calcium
46 mg
Iron
1.8 mg

Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.

Getting it right

Tip

Coarsely crushing the roasted peanuts instead of leaving them whole releases their essential oils into the rice, vastly enhancing the nutty flavor profile.

What to serve it with

Perfect for lunchboxes as it tastes incredible even at room temperature. Serve with potato fry (aloo roast) or simple fryums/papad.