Continuing the run over the past few weeks of sauces and dressings for your summer table, here’s a couple that we’ve been coming back to over and over again lately – an easy Thai Peanut Sauce and Thai Peanut Vinaigrette.
Coconut milk offers an amazing amalgam of great taste, a load of healthy fats (yep, you read that right – if you’re still on the old ‘fat is bad paradigm’, you’ve missed the boat on current nutritional health facts), and damned near perfect ability to serve as a base for a number of sauces combining multiple flavors.
Stir up the peanut sauce and see what you think; this is a great base recipe to alter to suit your own tastes – adding more ginger, garlic, soy/tamari, or heat (we almost always add more of the red curry to ours).
The vinaigrette made using the Thai Peanut Sauce as a base is very, very good, and is also perfect to customize to your family’s palate and the salad (or vegetables) you’re pouring it over.
Note the peanut sauce will thicken in the fridge when stored, bring it back to room temp to serve and it’ll loosen up.
Thai Peanut Sauce
1 can unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk (NOT the light version)
5-6 Tbsp good red curry paste (or more)
¾ cup peanut butter (chunky preferred)
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (adjust to taste, we prefer less)
2 tsp Fish Sauce
2 tsp good soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
Option: Grate in 1-2 tsp fresh ginger
Option: Add finely chopped Thai or serrano peppersThai Peanut Vinaigrette
1/2 cup Thai Peanut Sauce above
6 Tbsp EV olive oil (or 3 T EVOO and 3 T avocado oil)
2 Tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Option 1: Add 2 Tbsp good honey, though try without first
Option 2: Add 2-3 Tbsp chili paste (or garlic chili paste)
For the sauce, combine the coconut milk, curry paste, and peanut butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; stir now and again until the peanut butter is softened and well dispersed.
Stir in the brown sugar if using until dissolved, then remove from the heat and stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce or tamari, and ginger (optional).
Note – will thicken considerably if you have leftovers and store in the fridge, rewarm gently before serving again.
For the vinaigrette, simply whisk the ingredients together, adjusting to taste with more vinegar, lime juice, honey, or the chili paste(s).
Enjoy.
