Peanut Sauce

Indispensable with satay, this sauce also works as a nice dip for a number of other Asian appetizers (like cold spring rolls) and all kinds of grilled meats. Thinned out with some water, it makes a beautiful salad dressing for sprout salads, like the Indonesian gado-gado.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Heat half the coconut milk in a saucepan at high heat and add the red curry paste. Stir to dissolve and continue cooking at high heat for 10-12 minutes, until the oil from the coconut has risen to the surface.

Step 2

Lower heat to medium-high and add peanut butter. Stir and add the rest of the coconut milk. Bring to bubbling boil.

Step 3

Lower heat to medium and add sugar, lemon juice and fish sauce, Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes. until the sauce has thickened somewhat and the oil has returned to the surface.

Step 4

Take off the fire and let rest for a half hour. Stir to blend oil that has risen to the surface. It should be the consistency of thick cream. lf thicker than that just add a couple of tablespoons of water or coconut milk and blend.

Step 5

The sauce can be served lukewarm or reheated to piping hot. Leftover sauce can be refrigerated (where it will solidify) and then reheated over a slow fire, thinned down with some water or coconut milk. It can also be frozen, and reheated another day, the same way.