Peanut Rice Recipe

Last week when I was thinking about easy Indian lunch box recipes, I reminded about this peanut rice recipe (Groundnut rice, Verkadalai sadam in Tamil). As Sendhil loves peanuts, I tried this rice without any hesitation. I referred some websites for this verkadalai sadam recipe and came up with my own combination. Its a quick fix recipe for bachelors and working women to make it easily in busy mornings. Even kids would love to take this rice for their lunch box.

Just a papad or vadam is enough to have a box full of this peanut rice. If you have roasted & de skinned peanuts ready in hand, this rice can be prepared very easily and quickly. It comes out flavourful and tasty too. Sendhil liked it very much. It can be made with leftover rice too. Friends, if you are looking for some easy lunch box ideas,do include this recipe.

To get a nice color for this rice, I used Byadgi chilli which is very famous here in Karnataka. It gives a bright red color to the dishes. So I use these chillies for my chutneys, kurma and bisibelebath. If you use normal red chillies, the color of this rice will vary but taste would be the same.
Ok, Lets see how to prepare this peanut rice with step by step photos.

I clicked this picture in a hurry while Sendhil was rushing to his office. So please bear with the clicks.

Easy peanut rice recipe for lunch box

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch

Serves: 2

Prep time: 15 Minutes

Cook time: 10 Minutes

Total time: 25 Minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 cup – 250ml

Rice – 1/2 cup
Cooking oil – 1.5 tbsp
Peanuts – 1/4 cup
Sesame seeds – 1/2 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Pepper corns – 1/4 tsp
Byadgi Red chillies – 4 nos ( use 2-3 chillies for other varieties)
Grated coconut – 2 tbsp

To temper

Sesame oil or ghee – 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Cashew nuts – few
Peanuts – 1 tbsp
Big onion – 1 no (optional)
Curry leaves – few

METHOD

Pressure cook the rice adding enough water and a drop of sesame oil. Rice should be grainy and separate.Spread in a plate and allow it to cool down.
Dry roast peanuts and remove the skin. Reserve a tbsp of peanuts. Keep it ready

In a kadai, heat oil and roast sesame seeds,chillies,coconut,pepper corns & urad dal. Roast till golden brown. Roast coconut till it becomes dry.

Then let it cool.Grind everything coarsely. To this add roasted peanuts, salt and run the mixie twice or thrice. It will become a coarse powder.

Heat ghee or sesame oil in a kadai and do the tempering adding reserved peanuts & cashews.Saute onions & set aside.
Add the ground powder,tempered ingredients to the cooked rice.Mix well.Add sesame oil or ghee while mixing.Check for salt.

Serve with papad !

Note

U can prepare this rice using leftover rice too.
Roast the coconut well else the mixture will become a paste while you grind. U can also use dry coconut/Koppari instead of fresh coconut.
Do not run the mixie continuously for long time. Open every now and then, scrape the sides and grind.
Add sesame oil or ghee while mixing. It gives a nice flavour.
U can omit onions and make it as no onion no garlic recipe too. It tastes good.

I had this rice with over roasted papad.It was yummy !