Last Updated On: by Aarthi
Peanut Rice Recipe also known as groundnut rice or verkadalai sadam is a simple rice dish which is great to pack in lunch box. A spiced peanut powder is made with peanuts, chillies, whole spices and coconut tossed with cooked rice to make this delicious peanut rice.
Peanut Rice Recipe
I wanted try different rice recipes to update on the blog, since rice is a staple and we want easy lunch box recipes. So I started to work on it and made quite a few recipes. I made sesame rice, gooseberry rice, curry leaf rice. All of them turned out so good and we enjoyed it to the core.
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This peanut rice has become one of my favourite among them, it was spicy and nutty. If you have leftover rice, then this is an awesome recipe to give it a try.Â
About Peanut Rice
Peanut rice also known as verkadalai sadam or groundnut rice is a simple and easy rice dish made with cooked rice and a special peanut powder. The spice powder is made with roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, chillies, and coconut. It is mildly spiced, so kids can enjoy it too in lunch box.
You can even make the peanut powder in advance and store in fridge for a week. By this way your work is half reduced. You can just mix this with rice and do a little tempering and your work is done.
I used only dry red chillies for making the powder. If you want, you can add some garlic, curry leaves, cumin seeds, black pepper to make it more flavourful.
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Ingredients
- Rice – you need cooked and cooled rice for this dish. Basmati or any rice can be used.
- Peanuts – if you use roasted peanuts, then your job is half reduced. Raw peanuts has to be toasted really well.
- Sesame seeds – black or white sesame seeds can be used.
- Dry Red Chillies – depending on your spice tolerance. you can add more or less dry chillies.
- Coconut – even though coconut is optional, it adds so much taste. You can skip if you don’t want it.
- Tempering – basic spices like mustard, split urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, asafoetida is used for tempering.
- Oil – be generous with the oil, I used sesame oil. For rich aroma, you can use ghee.

Step by Step Pictures
Cooking Rice
1)Take 1 cup rice in a pressure cooker, cover with 2.5 cup of water and pressure cook rice for 2 whistle and simmer for 5 mins. Switch off the flame and let the steam go all by itself. Now fluff the rice with fork and allow it to cool down.

Roasting Peanuts
2)Take raw peanuts in a dry pan and start roasting. if you have already roasted peanuts, then it is much more easier.

3)Keep moving it around till it is well roasted. It will take around 8 to 10 minutes, keep the flame on medium low.

Make peanut rice mix
4)At this point add in dry red chillies as per your taste preference and roast for couple of minutes.

5)Add in sesame seeds. I had black sesame seeds, so I used that. if you have white sesame you can use it.

6)Roast this on medium high for 2 minutes. The sesame seeds will start to pop and roast.

7)Add in fresh coconut into the pan and toast on high heat for couple of minutes.

8)This is to remove any excess moisture from the coconut and also it adds toasty flavour to the mixture.

Peanut rice powder
9)Remove this to a plate and set aside so it cools completely.

10)take this peanut mixture in a blender and powder them to a slightly coarse mixture. Don’t add any water when grinding.

11)This is your peanut rice powder.

Making peanut rice
12)Heat oil in a kadai. Add in tempering ingredients. You need mustard, split urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves. Let them fry in the oil for a minute.

13)Add in the cooked and cooled rice. You can use a day old rice also.

14)Season rice with salt.

15)Add in the peanut powder which we made earlier.

16)Toss well so the rice coats with the peanut powder.

17)Thats it. Peanut rice is ready to serve.

Expert Tips
- This dish is great to use leftover rice.
- Raw peanuts or roasted peanuts can be used. If using roasted peanuts, just stir fry for few minutes.
- Garlic, cumin seeds and curry leaves can be added into the powder for flavour.
- Serve peanut rice with pickle, papad for a enjoyable meal.
📖 Get Recipe

Peanut Rice Recipe | Verkadalai Sadam Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
0 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, South Indian
Servings 2 servings
Calories 510 kcal
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Peanut Rice Recipe | Verkadalai Sadam Recipe
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.



