A complex, multipurpose sauce that is good enough to eat with a spoon; adjust the proportions to your taste once you get used to it. Serve it warm, with Grilled Satay (page 101), Fried Satay (page 100), Spring Rolls (page 38), or simply rice crackers, sold at many Asian and health food markets, or other crackers. See page 500 for information on Asian fish sauces like nam pla.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 2 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a food processor and grind until fairly smooth; scrape down the sides of the machine once or twice if necessary.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the chile-garlic mixture until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. This may be stored, covered and refrigerated, for up to a week; gently rewarm over very low heat or in a microwave before using.
Chinese Peanut Sauce
Step 3
Simpler and leaner, this is a good last-minute addition to stir-fries: omit the lemongrass, turmeric, coconut milk, and lime juice; substitute soy sauce for the nam pla.
