Thai Peanut Sauce

Peanut Butter month may have come to a close, but I want to give you a peanut flavored encore, Thai Peanut Sauce.

Mostly because I made some the other day and thought I'd blog about it.

I first learned this recipe from booklet called Thai and More, published the people at Cooking Class magazine. At least I think it's a magazine. I varied it slightly because I didn't have quite all the ingredients at hand. I think it worked out better this way, though. It had intense coconut and peanut flavor, and wasn't too hot so my kids could still enjoy it.

And enjoy it they did. I used this sauce to top a tofu and veggie stir fry last Sunday. It was such a hit that by the time I thought about taking a picture to share with you, the only thing left was an empty pan and a bit of rice.

Ingredients

2 teaspoon peanut oil (vegetable oil will do in a pinch)
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup coconut milk (or 1 cup milk and 1 teaspoon coconut extract)
2 teaspoons lime juice

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.

Add peanut butter, brown sugar, fish sauce, chili powder, and black pepper. Stir until smooth and well blended. Slowly add the coconut milk (or regular milk and coconut extract) and stir until well blended. Continue stirring until it starts bubbling a bit.

The sauce should be pretty thick at his point. If you want it a little thicker, stir 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into 1 or 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the sauce. Cook and stir about one or two minutes more until thickened.

Stir in lime juice and mix into stir fried veggies, tofu, sauteed chicken, or whatever else you can think of.

If you want to make this in advance, to have on hand whenever you're ready, stop before adding the coconut milk, let cool, and refrigerate. It will last up to a week in a cool fridge.

Picture by Kasia Franc.