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Malaysian Kuah Kacang (Peanut Sauce)
by Susheela Raghavan, author of "Flavors of Malaysia" (Hippocrene, August 2010)
Directions
Makes about 1½ cups sauce
Process Spice Paste ingredients to a smooth paste.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet or wok and sauté Spice Paste for 1 to 2 minutes, then add coriander, cumin, and turmeric and an additional 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté for another 4 to 6 minutes till fragrant, adding more oil if necessary.
Add tamarind juice, sugar, and salt and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Add peanuts or peanut butter, coconut milk, and water and stir continuously till oil seeps out from sauce, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate or tamarind juice extracted from pulp
- About ¼ cup packed thinly sliced or chopped palm sugar (gula Melaka or gula Jawa) or brown sugar
- 1 to 1¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, finely ground, or ½ cup crunchy or smooth peanut butter (preferably crunchy)
- ¾ to 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk if roasted peanuts are used, or ¼ cup if peanut butter is used
- 1¼ to 1½ cups water
Spice Paste:
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic cloves
- ¼ cup chopped shallots or onions
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh or frozen and thawed galangal or fresh ginger
- 1 to 3 dried chilies, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, slit and deseeded; or ½ to 1 teaspoon cili boh; or ¼ to ½ teaspoon bottled sambal oelek; or ¼ to ½ teaspoon chile powder (depending on heat desired)
- ¼ cup sliced lemongrass stalk
- Optional: 1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste (belacan), toasted at 400°F for 15 minutes
- ¼ cup water
Featured Appetizer
Kangkung Belacan (Spicy Water Spinach) by Susheela Raghavan, author of "Flavors of Malaysia" (Hippocrene, August 2010)
Eat your greens the Malaysian way!
Featured Sauce
Sesame Bentara Sweet Chili Sauce by Hasni Ghazali, Bentara Restaurant, New Haven, CT
Serve with Malaysian Popia Udang (Shrimp Spring Rolls).