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Peanut Sauce, Four Ways

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Makes 2 cups 1x

Time 35 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 3 hot fresh red chiles, seeded, or cayenne or red chile flakes to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 shallots, peeled
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, thinly sliced (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon peanut or grapeseed oil
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts or crunchy peanut butter
  • Salt

Instructions

  1. Put the chiles, garlic, shallots, lemongrass if you’re using it, and turmeric in a food processor and grind until fairly smooth; scrape down the side of the container once or twice if necessary.
  2. Put the oil in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the chile-garlic mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, and peanuts and whisk until fully combined. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Taste and add a sprinkle of salt or a little more soy sauce if necessary. Serve or cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to a week. Gently rewarm before using.

Recipe variations

Curry Peanut Sauce
Another layer of flavor: Omit the chiles, lemongrass, and turmeric. Instead, put one 2-inch piece fresh ginger and 2 tablespoons curry powder in the food processor along with the garlic and shallots.

Sweet Peanut Sauce
Indonesian in spirit: Add 1/4 cup ketchup along with the coconut milk.

Simpler Peanut Sauce
More peanutty (and makes less): Use only the chiles, sugar, soy sauce, and peanuts. Blend in a food processor, adding a little water or more soy sauce to get the consistency you like. Gently heat the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat or in the micro- wave. Stir in 1/4 cup sliced scallions and 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro and serve.