DIY Deliciousness
Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe from Chontong Thai Cuisine
Peanut Sauce. It's the ultimate condiment. A little bit sweet, a little bit savory, and a tiny bit spicy, this sauce is perfect for satay skewers, fresh rolls, noodles, spinach, or heck - even just eating it straight out of the bowl with a spoon. We won't judge.
But it's not always possible to go out to a Thai restaurant, and what happens when you're stuck at home and the craving for peanut sauce? Susie, the head chef at Chontong Thai Cuisine, shared with us her recipe for peanut sauce that's easy to make at home.
What's in Thai Peanut Sauce?
While some of the ingredients are already familiar to you, like peanut butter, you may be less familiar with some of the others, like fish sauce or massaman curry paste. If you're located in Seattle Southside, finding these ingredients is as easy as a trip to Lam's Seafood. If you're located elsewhere, your local Asian grocery store should carry these items, or you may be able to order them online.
Fish Sauce
This flavorful, umami-forward sauce is made from fermented anchovies and is commonly found in a lot of Southeast Asian cuisine. Can't do fish? Soy sauce can be used in a pinch, but will have a slightly different flavor profile.
Massaman Curry Paste
Cans of curry paste, called prik gaeng in Thai, are a convenient way to make all kinds of curries, as they take the guesswork out of blending spices and creating the thickening base of the sauce. But these pastes have other applications, as we see in this recipe, where it perfectly seasons and gives depth to the flavor of the peanut sauce.
Palm Sugar
Made from the sap of palm trees, this sugar usually comes in small cakes and has a rich, nutty, caramely flavor. This recipe calls for one of those small cakes, but if you can only get the palm sugar in a large cake, cut off a portion of it that's roughly equivalent to 1/3 cup. Can't get any palm sugar at all? Light brown sugar will work if you must, but it'll be missing some of the authentic, nuanced flavor you can only get from palm sugar.
Peanut Butter
While this may seem like a more familiar ingredient, you should think through your choices when picking a peanut butter. This recipe calls for a chunky peanut butter. Not a fan of peanut pieces? You can substitute smooth peanut butter.
No chunky on hand? You can add chopped peanuts on top of the sauce before serving for some extra crunch. Because different brands of peanut butter have slightly different flavors in terms of the sweet/salty balance, the final step of the recipe is adding salt or sugar to taste to balance out the flavor of the sauce to your liking.
Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 19oz. can of coconut milk
- 4oz. massaman curry paste (one small can)
- 1 small cake (approx. 1/3 cup) palm sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter
- water
- salt/more palm sugar to taste
Recipe
In a saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer together the massman paste and half of the can of coconut milk, stirring consistently.
Once the mixture starts to bubble and the aroma gets stronger, add the rest of the coconut milk from the can. Rinse out the can of coconut milk with 1/2 cup water and add the diluted coconut milk/ water to the pan. Stir to combine.
Increase heat to medium-high and add the palm sugar and fish sauce. Stir consistently, breaking up the palm sugar cake as it melts.
Once the palm sugar is melted, turn heat to low and add the peanut butter until you like the texture. Let the mixture come to a boil, and give it a taste. Add salt and sugar to your liking, then enjoy!
Serve as a dipping sauce alongside chicken satay skewers, fresh rolls, veggies, or apple slices. You can also pour it over fresh baby spinach and the protein of your choice to make a Swimming Rama dish, which goes great with rice. You can serve it over noodles or rice for a simple dish as well.
As easy as this sauce is to make at home, there's nothing more delicious than not having to do any of the cleanup! Visit Chontong Thai Cuisine in SeaTac to taste the original and see for yourself just how delicious peanut sauce can be!
Thai Peanut Sauce FAQs
What is Thai peanut sauce made of?
Thai peanut sauce is typically made with peanut butter, coconut milk, curry paste, sugar, and fish sauce. This Thai peanut sauce recipe from Chontong Thai Cuisine uses massaman curry paste and palm sugar for a rich, slightly sweet, savory, and mildly spicy flavor.
What can I serve with Thai peanut sauce?
Thai peanut sauce is delicious with chicken satay, fresh rolls, vegetables, noodles, rice, and even apple slices. You can also pour it over spinach and protein to make a Swimming Rama-style dish.
Can I make Thai peanut sauce without fish sauce?
Yes. If you don't eat fish, you can substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce in this recipe. The flavor will be slightly different, but soy sauce will still add the salty, savory quality that helps balance the peanut sauce.
Can I substitute brown sugar for palm sugar in Thai peanut sauce?
Yes. Light brown sugar can be substituted if palm sugar isn't available. Palm sugar has a richer, nuttier, more caramel-like flavor, so using it will give your Thai peanut sauce a more traditional flavor.
Can I use smooth peanut butter instead of chunky peanut butter?
Yes. This Thai peanut sauce recipe calls for chunky peanut butter, but smooth peanut butter works well too. For extra texture, sprinkle chopped peanuts over the finished sauce before serving.
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Chontong Thai Cuisine is a full-service restaurant offering flavorful Thai fare in a welcoming atmosphere. Just a five minute drive from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)…