Jasmine Rice With Caramelized Green Onions

Asian inspired sweet 'n' spicy jasmine rice with caramelized green onions and coarsely chopped peanuts! Now, for the record, I don't like green onions cooked, but caramelizing them is a whole other story. From Canada's Company's Coming. Don't omit the garnishes: coarsely chopped peanuts!

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Yields: 5 cups

Ingredients

• 1 3⁄4 cups water
• 1  cup  jasmine rice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1  tablespoon  peanut oil
• 2  cups  chopped green onions, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2-1  teaspoon sambal oelek (depending on how spicy you want it)
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  coarsely chopped roasted peanuts, salted, coarsely chopped or 1⁄2 cup  coarsely chopped roasted cashews, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. If necessary, lightly roasted the peanuts and coarsely chop. You want the peanuts coarsely chopped, not ground!
2. Place the water, jasmine rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a rice cooker and cook. Once done, keep warm.
3. In a saute pan, heat up the peanut oil on medium-low heat and saute the green onions, garlic and sambal oelek for about 2-3 minutes or just until softened. Stir occasionally.
4. Increase the heat to medium and add the rice vinegar, sugar and remaining salt. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to caramelize, about another 3-4 minutes. Do not burn!
5. Lastly, add the cooked jasmine rice and coarsely chopped peanuts; mix well.