Description
Homemade peanut satay sauce blends rich Indonesian flavors with creamy, tangy notes. Nutty, spicy, and smooth, this sauce elevates grilled meats and vegetables with authentic Southeast Asian charm.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup (120 ml) warm water
- ½ cup (128 g) creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tbsp (15 g) brown sugar or honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) grated fresh ginger (or ¼ tsp ground ginger)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) chili flakes or sriracha (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Sauce Foundation: Combine peanut butter and soy sauce in a large mixing bowl, whisking vigorously to create a smooth, unified base with rich umami undertones.
- Flavor Layering: Add lime juice and brown sugar, blending energetically to develop a balanced sweet-tangy profile that awakens the palate.
- Aromatic Infusion: Finely mince garlic and ginger, then fold into the sauce, releasing their intense, pungent essences and creating depth of flavor.
- Seasoning Composition: Incorporate sesame oil, chili flakes or sriracha, and a splash of warm water, stirring continuously to achieve a silky, pourable consistency that harmonizes all ingredients.
- Flavor Calibration: Taste and adjust the sauce, fine-tuning with additional lime juice for brightness, sugar for sweetness, or extra chili for a fiery kick.
- Resting Phase: Let the sauce rest briefly, allowing the complex flavors to meld and intensify before serving at room temperature or gently warmed.
Notes
- Balance Flavor Carefully: Start with small amounts of spicy ingredients like chili flakes or sriracha, tasting gradually to control heat intensity without overwhelming the sauce’s nuanced profile.
- Achieve Perfect Consistency: Warm water is crucial for creating a smooth, pourable texture; add incrementally and whisk continuously to prevent separation or clumping of ingredients.
- Optimize Ingredient Quality: Use fresh, high-quality peanut butter without added sugars for an authentic, rich base that provides maximum depth and creaminess to the sauce.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Swap soy sauce with tamari for gluten-free version, use coconut sugar for lower glycemic index, or substitute peanut butter with almond butter for nut-free alternative.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Appetizer, Dinner
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg