Satay sauce — the Asian base + peanut
Onto the trunk of the Asian sauce, we graft peanut, sweetness and chilli: the generous sauce par excellence.
Satay sauce is my Asian sauce pushed towards opulence. We start from the same trunk — soy, sesame, citrus, garlic, ginger — and graft on peanut butter, sweetness, chilli. The result is a round, deep sauce that coats vegetable skewers as well as noodles or a bowl of raw vegetables.
A word from the engineer: the peanut is not a nut but a legume, rich in protein — it is what gives satay its almost nourishing body.
Ingredients
- The Asian sauce (soy, sesame oil, lemon, garlic, ginger)
- 4 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tbsp crushed peanuts
- 1 to 2 tbsp agave syrup
- Fresh or flaked chilli, to taste
- Optional: coconut milk (for fluidity and softness)
- Optional: satay spices from Épices Shira
- Lime or lemon, whichever is on hand
Method
- 1
Prepare the Asian sauce base in a bowl.
- 2
Whisk in the peanut butter until it binds; add the agave and chilli.
- 3
Loosen to the desired consistency with a little coconut milk (or warm water) — the sauce should coat.
- 4
For more depth: the Épices Shira satay spices, and lime or lemon for tangy freshness.
- 5
Scatter with crushed peanuts and coriander. Serve over vegetables, noodles, or as a dip.
The tip
Satay shows the art of assembling: one sauce already gathers salty, sour, sweet, spicy, umami and fat — the six directions of taste. Over a simple bowl of raw vegetables, it is enough to make a complete and flavourful meal.
Where I find it
Peanut butter and peanuts: organic. Satay spices: Épices Shira. Coconut milk: organic grocer.
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