SATAY PEANUT SAUCE (KUAH KACANG)

Various versions of satay peanut sauce cater to individual taste preferences, ensuring there is a variation to suit everyone's palate. There is no definitive recipe for a perfect satay peanut sauce; instead, the diversity of recipes offers options to explore and enjoy based on personal preferences.

Recipe Notes:

• It is recommended to use medium to large-sized dried chilies for the recipe to achieve a harmonious balance of sweetness, tanginess, and spiciness.

• It is recommended to cook the satay peanut sauce in low heat until it reaches a smooth consistency. Cooking the peanut sauce on low heat for a longer duration allows the flavors to deepen and intensify. It helps the ingredients blend together and develop a richer taste.

• It is recommended to store homemade Satay Peanut Sauce in the refrigerator to maintain its freshness and extend its shelf life. When stored properly in the fridge, Satay Peanut Sauce can last for about a month.

• If you want to store Satay Peanut Sauce for an even longer period, it can be frozen. Frozen Satay Peanut Sauce can retain its quality for up to 4-6 months.

• Remember to always check for signs of spoilage before using homemade Satay Peanut Sauce. If you notice any off smells, unusual colors, or mold growth, it's best to discard it to ensure food safety.

SATAY PEANUT SAUCE

===================

(Serves 6-10 peoples)

✅️ 500 g Roasted Unsalted Peanut

✅️ 5 bulbs Shallot (±190 g)

✅️ 1 bulb Garlic (±50 g)

✅️ 50 g Ginger

✅️ 3 stalks Lemongrass (10 cm from base)

✅️ 5 pcs Kaffir Lime Leaf

✅️ 8 whole Large Dried Chili

✅️ ±140g Palm Sugar/ Gula Melaka

✅️ ±50 g Tamarind Paste (with seed and pulp)

✅️ 1½ tbsp Thick Soy Sauce (Cheong Chan Cooking Caramel)

✅️ 3 cups Plain Water

✅️ 1 cup Cooking Oil

✅️ 1½ tsp Salt

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1. To prepare the dried chili:

• Remove the hard top part of the dried chili and empty all its seeds out to discard.

• Cut the dried chilies into sections, each about 3cm in length.

• Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a pot over MEDIUM heat. Turn OFF the heat once it reaches a boiling state.

• Add the prepared dried chilies to the pot. Briefly stir the dried chilies in the boiling water and set them aside for now to soften and cool slightly.

2. To prepare the tamarind paste:

• Add tamarind paste into 1 cup of hot water.

• Use a spoon or fork to mash the tamarind paste in the hot water, allowing it to extract its flavor.

• Pour the mashed tamarind mixture into a bowl over a sieve. Continue to stir the mashed tamarind in the sieve to further extract its flavor.

• Discard the fibrous pulp and seeds in the sieve and keep the strained liquid collected in the bowl aside for later use.

3. Add the peanuts into a food processor in small batches at any one time. Blend peanuts into a somewhat coarse texture. The blended peanuts should have mixture of a fine and somewhat a coarse texture, which will result in a sauce with a desirable texture. Transfer the blended peanuts into a bowl and keep them aside for now.

4. Add the prepared shallots into the same food processor used earlier to blend the peanuts. Add the prepared garlic, ginger and lemongrass from 2 stalks into the same food processor. Add ½ cup of the cooking oil into the same food processor and keep the remaining aside for now. Blend shallot, garlic, ginger and lemongrass mixture together with the cooking oil into a relatively smooth paste.

5. Transfer the previously prepared dried chilies and the liquid from the pot into a food processor. Blend the dried chilies in the food processor to a smooth paste.

6. Add the remaining cooking oil previously set aside into a pot. Heat up the cooking oil in the pot over MEDIUM heat until they are hot for cooking. Add the remaining halved lemongrass together with kaffir lime leaves into the pot. Briefly stir the lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves to infuse their fragrance into the oil, about 1 min. Add the shallot, garlic, ginger and lemongrass paste mixture prepared earlier into the pot. Stir-fry the mixture over MEDIUM heat until it turns golden brown in color. Add the blended dried chilies prepared earlier into the pot. Thoroughly stir-fry the mixture to ensure it is well combined, about 1 min. Add about 1 cup of water from rinsing the blender used to process the dried chilies into the pot. Briefly stir the mixture to mix well. Reduce the heat to slightly above low and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir occasionally to avoid burning the bottom. Continue to simmer and occasionally stir until most liquid evaporated, about 5 to 6 mins.

7. Add palm sugar to the pot. Thoroughly stir-fry the mixture to ensure it is well combined, about 1 minute. Pour in the tamarind water prepared earlier. Add the thick soy sauce, salt, and 3 cups of plain water to the pot. Stir the mixture until well combined, allowing the flavors to meld together. Let the mixture come to a simmer before adding the ground peanuts prepared earlier to the pot. Stir the mixture until well combined, allowing the flavors to meld together. Let the mixture simmer for about 30 mins until it is smooth, slightly thick and most oil separated. Stir occasionally to avoid burning the bottom. 

8. Taste the peanut sauce and adjust the seasoning according to your preference by adding more salt or sugar if desired. Turn OFF the heat when peanut sauce has reached a slightly thick consistency and the oil visibly separated. Avoid cooking the peanut sauce until it becomes overly thick. The peanut sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

9. Enjoy homemade Satay Peanut Sauce with your favorite accompaniments like grill chicken, red onion and cucumber slices!

RECIPE PHOTO GALLERY