Recipe by Christian Reynoso
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.
Serves 4
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed
1 (13 to 14 oz) can coconut milk
Salt and pepper
1(1½-inch) piece fresh ginger
2 large garlic cloves
2 limes
½ cup roasted and salted peanuts, crushed
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp granulated sugar
2 tsp sambal oelek
2 cups ripe cherry tomatoes, halved (about 10 ounces)
1 cup roughly chopped mixed herbs (such as dill, cilantro or mint)
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.
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.
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.