Peanut Sauce – Nahm Jin

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 150 g peanuts, raw, shelled, unsalted
• 1 can coconut milk, 400 ml
• 2 tbsp red curry paste
• 3 tbsp palm sugar, crushed
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp vinegar (rice vinegar), light
• possibly salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

for satay skewers or Thai meatballs

Roast the peanuts in a dry pan until golden brown. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and let cool slightly. Crush the peanuts finely with a pestle and grate. In a saucepan, combine the red curry paste with a little coconut milk and heat until it begins to simmer. Add the remaining coconut milk and simmer. Add the peanuts, sugar, fish sauce, and vinegar and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes until thickened. Season to taste with more sugar, vinegar, and salt, if desired. Be careful with the vinegar; it shouldn’t taste sour, but sweet and spicy. The vinegar is just to round it off. Before serving, allow to cool slightly, stirring occasionally, as it thickens as it cools and the peanut oil is released. Note: if the sauce is served with Satay Muh (see my profile), take about 3 tablespoons of the reduced cream from the can of coconut milk and set aside for the satay marinade.