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Food & Wine Recipe

Red Curry-Peanut Sauce

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  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME: 15 MIN
  • SERVINGS: makes 1 1/2 cups
  • •FAST
  • •MAKE-AHEAD

When Grace Parisi makes this sauce for her kids, she adds less curry paste; when she makes it for her husband and herself, she adds more. A bit of sauce brushed onto chicken and mango helps them caramelize on the grill.

  1. 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  2. 1 shallot, minced
  3. 1 garlic clove, minced
  4. 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
  5. 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  6. 6 tablespoons unsweetened peanut butter
  7. 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  8. 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  9. 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
  1. In a medium saucepan, heat the peanut oil. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the curry paste and whisk for 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and cook until melted. Whisk in the peanut butter, then slowly whisk in the coconut milk. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the lime juice and fish sauce. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Make Ahead The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. Notes Best Uses Serve the peanut sauce with grilled beef, chicken, spareribs, shrimp or pork or with crudités for dipping, or mix it into rice noodles or stir-fries.