Kenyan Coconut Rice with Cardamom and Peanuts
Fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and infused with cardamom, garnished with toasted peanuts for a delightful texture contrast. This African-inspired rice and grain recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs long grain white rice, coconut milk, water for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (about 380 grams) long grain white rice
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water
- 4 pods, lightly crushed green cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (70 grams) raw peanuts
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Rinse 2 cups of long grain white rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain.
- Step 2: In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed rice, 1 1/2 cups coconut milk, 1 1/2 cups water, 4 lightly crushed green cardamom pods, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Step 3: Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Step 4: While rice cooks, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup raw peanuts and toast, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Step 5: Once rice is cooked, fluff gently with a fork and remove the cardamom pods.
- Step 6: Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the toasted peanuts evenly on top before serving warm.








