LunaCafe

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Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce

You can make this sauce the same day you need it, but it definitely improves with age, so make it a few days ahead if you like.

1 cup coconut milk
¼ cup creamy, natural-style peanut butter (just peanuts and salt)
½ cup water

2 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced lemongrass
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 kaffir lime leaf, rib removed, leaf chopped
1 small Thai red pepper, stemmed, ribbed, and seeded (use disposable gloves)

2 tablespoons Thai Red Curry Paste (or ready-made)
2 tablespoons chopped Thai basil
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce, optional

finely grated zest of 1 large lime
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

  1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the coconut milk and peanut butter until smooth. Whisk in the water. Reserve.
  2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil, and add the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, kaffir lime leaf, and red pepper. Stir-fry until the aroma releases, about 1 minute.
  3. Add Thai Red Curry Paste, Thai basil, cilantro, brown sugar, and fish sauce (if you have it on hand). Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes to eliminate the harsh, raw taste of the paste.
  4. Whisk the coconut milk-peanut butter mixture, and add to the saucepan.
  5. Simmer gently for 4-5 minutes, until sauce is reduced slightly. Remove from the heat and let the flavors meld for at least ½ hour. Longer is even better.
  6. Strain the sauce through a single mesh strainer into a clean container, pushing against the solid ingredients to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
  7. Add lime zest and juice to the sauce. Add the salt, and taste for flavor balance. If needed, add a little more lime juice or brown sugar.
  8. Refrigerate until needed. Can be used warm or cold.

Makes about 1½ cups.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I adore thai peanut sauce and could eat it everyday, on everything! (Okay, maybe not cereal… ;)). My parents have lemongrass in their garden and I am always the lucky recipient of a few strands when I go over there. It’s such a flavorful addition, and I love that you used it here! I’ll second Lorna’s suggestion in her comment above for freezing and then microplaning it, too.

    • Marlynn, lemongrass is such an addictive flavor. I almost always have it on hand. Portland’s Asian food markets see me way more often than standard grocery stores. 🙂

  2. Lemongrass makes everything better.

    (And might I add you have the most temperamental comment engine. Ever. It really didn’t want me to post, like, anything. Heheh)

  5. Holy cow, thanks very much for posting this! It is gonna aid me when I get Coconut Milk at the store! So Beautiful!

  6. I’m rarely a fan of Thai in America because it leaves out all the spices and herbs and just tastes like sugar and cream or peanut butter and ketchup. So thanks for what looks like a flavorful recipe.

    Thought I’d share my lemongrass tip: freeze it, then microplane an inch or so right into the pot. It’s kind of like bonito flakes in that it just dissolves flavor into the dish.

  7. Love the recipe….but need that cute bowl to serve it in! Any idea where I can find them?

    • Hi Anna! I got that cute little bowl at Sur La Table in Portland. It came in 2-3 different colors/patterns. Hope this helps.

  8. This sounds AMAZING! I was visiting my relatives in Portland and ate at the Rice Thai Cookery, a wonderful peanut sauce place I found with my nephew Ken Stahl! I bet you know him, or would like to, he is catering bands now after all of his roadie work, he prefers cooking for them! I am so excited to find a recipe and am making your red potato salad as I write this! THANKS for such amazing time put into this site

    • Anna, thank you and how fun. I am adding that restaurant to my must-try list. I LOVE peanut sauce and Thai and Vietnamese cooking. I’m enamored with Luc Lac (downtown) at the moment. Such a cool little place with awesome food.

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