Name: Chile Peanut Rice
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 cups cooked basmati rice (from about 1 cup dry rice); 2 Tbsp. (or more) fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime); 1 tsp. (or more) kosher salt; ½ cup ghee or extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 1 Tbsp. black mustard seeds; 10 fresh curry leaves; 1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts; 1 medium onion, sliced into thin strips; 2 small Indian green chiles or serrano chiles, halved lengthwise (no need to stem them); 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves with tender stems

Image may contain Plant Food Dish Meal Produce and Vegetable

Photograph by Chelsie Craig

Every ingredient in this throw-together side plays its part beautifully: crispy leftover basmati; earthy fried mustard seeds and curry leaves; mildly sweet, almost-caramelized onions; crunchy peanuts; and lingering heat from chiles. Altogether, it’s a glorious study in balance.

Recipe notes