Crispy Rice Salad with Peanut Sesame Dressing

The rice is crisped the same way any crisped-rice salad starts: cold grains spread thin in a hot skillet for 8 to 12 minutes.

What defines this bowl is the dressing, a peanut butter, soy, vinegar, sesame and lime mixture thinned with warm water until pourable. It contains peanuts and sesame.

Ingredient Notes

Creamy peanut butter

A quarter cup, the base of the dressing; this salad contains peanuts.

Purple cabbage

One cup, thinly shredded.

Roasted peanuts

A third of a cup, chopped, scattered at the end.

How to Make It

1. Rice crisped

   Break the chilled rice into loose grains. Heat neutral oil in a wide nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the rice in a thin layer and cook 8 to 12 minutes, turning in sections, until crisp and golden. Cool 5 minutes.

2. Peanut dressing

   Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice and honey. Whisk in enough warm water to make a pourable tan dressing.

3. Tossed and drizzled

   Combine crisped rice with cabbage, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper and green onions. Toss with most of the peanut-sesame dressing, then drizzle the rest over the top and finish with chopped peanuts.

Success Tips

• Add the warm water a tablespoon at a time until the dressing pours in a ribbon.
• Shred the cabbage finely so it mixes through the rice.
• Keep some dressing back so the finished bowl shows the drizzle.

Why This Recipe Works

• Warm water thins the peanut butter into a dressing that coats rather than clumps.
• Purple cabbage and red pepper hold their crunch against the dressing.
• Dressing most of the salad and drizzling the rest keeps the tan colour visible.
• Chopped peanuts repeat the dressing's flavour in a crunchier form.

Storage and Reheating

Serving Ideas

Serve in a wide bowl with the extra dressing drizzled over and peanuts on top.