Indonesian Peanut Sauce
The Japones Chile (Capsicum Annuum) is similar in appearance to the De Arbol. Though the walls of the Japones are thicker. Dried Japones Chiles are medium hot and good with Asian dishes. On the heat scale, this chile is 5-6. Scoville heat units 15,000 to 35,000.
Suggested Use:
Japones Chiles are medium hot and frequently found in spicier Asian and Oriental dishes. Used in Thai Basil Curry dishes and Hot Peanut Sauces. Crush a few pods and add them to your next stir fry.
Ingredients:
For the seasoning paste:
1 tsp. sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
12 japones chiles, softened in hot water, dried, seeded and minced
1 Tbsp. minced galangal or ginger
1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer layers and green parts removed, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 tsp. red miso
For the sauce:
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup tamarind juice
Instructions:
Pound the salt and garlic in a mortar with a pestle into a fine paste. Add the chiles and pound into a puree.
One at a time, add the galangal, lemongrass, shallots, and red miso, in sequence, adding each one only after the previous ingredient has been completely pureed and incorporated into the paste. Transfer the mix to a bowl or to a glass jar with a right-fitting lid.
Or, if using a blender, add all the above ingredients plus the vegetable oil and puree.
Refrigerate the seasoning paste.
Saute the chile paste in the vegetable oil (or the chile paste-oil mixture) in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it exudes a pleasant aroma, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the sugar, peanut butter, coconut cream and tamarind juice. Stir to mix and heat until the mixture boils and thickens, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the sauce to a bowl and let it cool before serving. Stored in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator, the sauce will keep for a couple of weeks. If it congeals and thickens, dilute with 2-3 Tbsp. of water and cook over low heat in a saucepan, stirring until smooth.
Yields 1 cup.
Recipe from: Asian Grilling by Su-Mei Yu (William Morrow).