Peanut sauces are the rage. In almost every supermarket ethnic section you will find some kind of peanut sauce. Every country has some version of it— Africa, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Mexico, China, India, Vietnam, Philippines. Although Thailand is most famous for it, it doesn’t claim to have peanut sauce at all, so say the experts. Their famous peanut sauce for chicken satays is made of ground peanuts. (I can argue with them on this one. Doesn’t ground peanuts in a sauce constitute peanut sauce?)
You can use peanut sauce on any number of dishes: drizzled on grilled shrimp, as a glaze on roast or grilled salmon, spooned over a grain bowl, mixed in cold soba or pasta salads, and, of course, on chicken, beef, veggie, tofu or pork skewers. One of my stand-bys is this pasta salad.
Although I prefer to make the salad with Chinese egg noodles, they are not always available. Here in Palm Desert I usually make it with linguini. I used to find it in the Chinese market directly across the street from my home in Foster City. (I didn’t give this good fortune enough credit at the time. But do we ever truly appreciate what we have until we don’t?) No such luck in the desert. But I still make it often, because it is such a great make-ahead entree and everyone loves it.
Although Asian Chili Garlic Sauce is used for authenticity, it may not be available in your local markets. Don’t despair. A good option is one which is probably already in your fridge—Sriarcha sauce. Whichever you choose, you can make the dressing as spicy or tame as you like.
For a very quick dinner
You will most likely have some sauce leftover when you make the salad. For a very very easy dinner, stir some sauce into coleslaw mix along with some chicken. I made it the other night and we thought it was delish.
Lots of ingredients make a fabulous salad. The noodles in the front are Chinese egg noodles. I can’t get them in the desert so I use linguini.
Choose your heat, just make sure you feel a little at the back of your throat before you swallow. If there is no heat, I think the sauce is boring.
Peanut Noodle Salad with Crunchy Veggies
1 recipe Sicy Peanut Sauce (see below)
8 ounces linguine or other dried pasta. (or 10 to 12 ounces fresh Chinese egg noodles)
Kosher Salt
Vegetable or sesame oil
1 1/2 to 2 cups raw thinly sliced red cabbage (or any cabbage)
3 to 4 cups thinly sliced or julienned raw vegetables (carrots, snap peas, snow peas, radishes, Japanese
turnips, radicchio, young kale or bok choy) or blanched asparagus or broccoli
Chopped cilantro (at least 2 to 3 tablespoons, but as much as you like), sprigs for garnish
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts (or as much as you like)
Sliced scallions (optional, for garnish)
1. Make Spicy Peanut Sauce
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, about 12 minutes, or according to package instructions. Strain and rinse with cool water. Let the pasta dry in the colander or spread it out on a clean dishtowel to dry slightly. (Don’t dress the pasta while it is wet.)
3. Put the pasta in a mixing bowl and season with 1 teaspoon salt. (If the pasta is sticky, add a teaspoon or two of oil and toss.)
4. Add three-quarters of the vegetables, three-quarters of the peanut sauce, and a few tablespoons of cilantro to the bowl and toss well. Taste and add more peanut sauce if desired.
5. Transfer the noodles to a large serving bowl and garnish with the remaining raw vegetables, the chopped peanuts, and the remaining cilantro. Serve.
Serves 6 to 8
Spicy Peanut Sauce
1 large or 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
4 thin slices fresh ginger (unpeeled)
2/3 cup natural, smooth peanut butter, well stirred
1/3 cup canned coconut milk (not lite, well-mixed)
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons Asian chili-garlic paste
1/4 cup hot water
1. Put the garlic and ginger in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
2. Add the peanut butter, coconut milk, dark brown sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of the chili-garlic paste. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Add 1/4 cup hot water and process again (scraping as necessary) until loosened and smooth. Taste and add more chili-garlic sauce if desired.
To make ahead: Peanut sauce may be refrigerated for up 1 week.
Makes 1 ¼ cups,
5. When ready to use, bring to room temperature. If the sauce is very thick, thin with a few tablespoons of hot water to your desired consistency.
Recipe adapted from Cook the Vineyard
