Glutinous Rice with Peanuts (Xôi Đậu Phộng)

Xôi Đậu Phộng or any kind of sweet rice is a big part of the Vietnamese cuisine. Vietnamese people eat this rice for breakfast or anytime of the day. When I was young and lived on a farm with my mother, Xôi Đậu Phộng was special for us. It tastes wonderful. The simple reason was that we grew our own peanuts. Even though my mom very much wanted to sell all the fresh peanuts, she rewarded us after a long hard working season by making Xôi Đậu Phộng. It was made with fresh peanuts pulled out from the ground. We just removed the peanut shells and ate them. The sweet and milky juice from the peanuts was priceless. Every time I visit my family in California, my sister, Kim, buy some fresh peanuts at the local farmers market, but they are never of the same taste that I remember. Xôi Đậu Phộng was also my late father’s favorite meal for breakfast. I think the reason for his attraction to it is that he was originally from North Vietnam and Xôi Đậu Phộng is from the northern part of Vietnam. I haven't made this dish for a long time because I cannot get fresh peanuts where I live. The dried peanuts take quite a long time to cook. However, my father passed away a few years ago, and for me to remember him is to make this sticky rice dish – the way he enjoyed a bowl of simple rice for breakfast. Because Xôi Đậu Phộng has so much protein, packed with energy, and is very filling, why not make a good habit of eating this energy breakfast? With the busy lives that we all have, I want to share an easy way to make this sticky rice using a rice cooker. The dried peanuts also can be cooked in a crockpot overnight. The short grain sticky rice is perfect to cook in a rice cooker. Reduce the quantity of water, if using another kind of rice. This method of cooking breakfast is ready in flash!!

The equipment is a rice cooker, of course!!

Ingredients:
2 cups short grain glutinous rice
1 cup dried peanuts (will yield about 3 cups after cooking)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 cups water or coconut milk*
 
Topping: roasted sesame seeds

Directions:
Bring a pot of 6 cups of water to boil and add the dry peanuts and one teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook on high heat for at least two hours. However, this could be done in a crockpot overnight or this step can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until needed with larger quantities of peanuts.
In a rice cooker, add rice and ½ tsp. of salt with two cups of water or coconut milk. Close the lid and turn the cooker on.

When the rice is cooked the first time, wait for 10 minutes and add the cooked peanut into the rice. Mix well. Close the lid and turn the rice cooker on one more time. When the rice cooker is done cooking the second time, wait for 15 minutes and then serve.

*The southern part of Vietnam cooks this rice with coconut milk.