Peanut Sauce

[lsanderson]

Somebody doesn't like peanut sauce, and I assumed it was because it has fish sauce in it. In the long ago, I asked Quang's for their recipe, but my desk seems to have eaten it. Today I googled, and found three with no fish sauce. It appears that my original assumption may be wrong and that somebody does not like peanut sauce may be a simpler and more easily defended hypothesis.

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Peanut Sauce Recipe
Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls) with Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce Recipe (From the heretical open-ended spring roll school)
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One herb I like:
Vietnamese Herb Primer
Diep Ca ~ "Zip Kah"
Dap Ca ~ "Zahp Kah"

Vap ca, Fish mint, fishscale mint
Botanical name Houttuynia cordata
The heart-shaped leaves of this herb have an unusual slightly sour, fishy flavor. Some folks love rau diep ca's tangy qualities and others focus on its unusual fishiness. For this reason, it's not commonly found at the Viet table. I enjoy it with boldly flavored grilled meat. Interestingly, a variegated form of this herb is often planted for decorative purposes.
Availability At Viet markets mostly since it's not widely eaten.

It seems to go by a variety of names...
"Oh, you've had all those in Viet Nam."

Comments

[debgeisler.livejournal.com]

Here's the recipe for Indonesian pindasaus (or oorspronkelijk), the spicey peanut sauce used with Indonesian satays on rijsttafels. Mike and I absolutely love this iteration, because it has a kick that most of the Thai restaurant versions lack. (There is a marinade for pork or beef that goes with it; the recipe is a delicious counterpoint.) I got the recipe from my aunt, who married a Dutchman. She used to cook small-batch rijsttafel recipes a lot.

Pindasaus (oorspronkelijk)

3 T. peanut butter (smooth)
2 T. water

Beat these two together until they are smooth again.

Add:

2 t. sugar
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. vegetable (or peanut) oil
1/2 t. minced garlic
2 t. sambal olek (hot red pepper paste; try Chinese markets)

Stir to combine, then let sit for at least an hour. Can be refrigerated, but will do best consumed at or near room temperature.

If you make your satay with rice on the side, and if you like the sauce as much as we do, a single batch might not be enough. :-) It scales well.

I have no idea how the taste of this will compare with the Vietnamese version.

w00t!

[lsanderson.livejournal.com]

Thanks!