Easy Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe: How to Make My Mom's Thai Satay Sauce

By á-8095

Really good...I halved it and was still too much for a HP pizza crust.

A peanut sauce recipe in an old coconut milk-stained cookbook supplemented with my mom's handwritten notes is a case in point. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the number of herbs and spices called for by several recipes for authentic Thai peanut sauce, here's my mom's recipe to the rescue.

All the herbs and spices are found in commercial red curry paste. No need to hunt down all 20 of them. Interestingly, Mom opted for salt instead of the more traditional fish sauce; granulated sugar and vinegar are also used as handy replacements for the traditional palm sugar and tamarind pulp respectively -- all with no lethal effects. Our family has enjoyed the sauce made this way for years.

Note: This peanut sauce keeps in a glass container in the refrigerator for weeks. Refrigerated sauce will thicken up considerably. All you have to do is thin it out with a little bit of water to desired consistency, reheat, and serve. The sauce also freezes beautifully.

Ingredients

• 1 13.5-ounce can of Chaokoh coconut milk
• 2 ounces (approximately 1/4 cup) of Thai red curry paste
• (I use either Maesri or Mae Ploy.)
• [Added December 13, 2010: For those who like their peanut sauce with lots of flavor but less heat, replacing red curry paste with the same amount of Thai massaman curry paste which is just as flavorful (in a different way) but not nearly as hot.]
• 3/4 cup unsweetened (natural) creamy peanut butter -- the kind that has a layer of oil on top* (Do not use regular peanut butter. I use Smucker's natural peanut butter.**)
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar (Do not use white wine, red wine, balsamic, or anything else -- not even rice vinegar)
• 1/2 cup water

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from shesimmers.com

Preparation

Step 1

Put everything into a medium heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a very gentle boil over medium heat, whisking constantly.

Let the mixture simmer for 3-5 minutes over low heat; be careful not to let the mixture scorch at the bottom of the pot.

Take the pot off the heat, let the sauce cool down to room temperature (or slightly warmer), and serve the sauce with satay or fried tofu.