Sambal Kacang (Indonesian Peanut Sauce)

October 18, 2011

Sambal Kacang (Indonesian Peanut Sauce) - kvalifood.com

Sambal kacang is a thick peanut sauce served with satay, gado-gado, ketoprak, and siomay across Indonesia. Whole peanuts are fried, then ground with chili, garlic, kecap manis, tamarind, and palm sugar. The result is savory-sweet with a background tang and gentle heat.

Makes ca. 350 ml

Ingredients

200 g raw peanuts, unsalted
oil, for frying (about 250 ml)
2 long red chilies, deseeded for less heat
2 bird’s eye chilies (optional, for extra heat)
3 cloves garlic, peeled
4 shallots, peeled (optional, more common in Javanese versions)
2 tbsp kecap manis
30 g palm sugar (gula Jawa), shaved or crumbled
1 tbsp tamarind pulp, soaked in 60 ml warm water and strained
1 tsp terasi (Indonesian shrimp paste), toasted (optional)
4 makrut lime leaves (optional)
1 tsp salt, to taste
1 tbsp lime juice
80-120 ml water, as needed

Directions

Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat (about 160 C). Fry the peanuts for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 tbsp of the frying oil.
Soak the tamarind pulp in 60 ml warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze and strain, discarding solids.
Heat the reserved oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the chilies, garlic, and shallots (if using). Cook 3-4 minutes until softened. If using terasi, add it in the last minute.
Transfer the peanuts, cooked aromatics, kecap manis, palm sugar, strained tamarind water, lime leaves (if using), and salt to a food processor. Pulse in short bursts, adding water gradually (start with 80 ml) until thick but pourable. The texture should be slightly coarse, not perfectly smooth.
Add the lime juice. Taste and adjust – more kecap manis for sweetness, more tamarind for tang, more salt, more chili for heat.
Serve at room temperature. If it thickens on standing, stir in a splash of warm water.

Notes

A mortar and pestle produces a better texture than a food processor – more irregular, less gummy.
For a shortcut, replace the fried peanuts with 130 g unsweetened crunchy peanut butter (ingredients: peanuts only). Skip the frying step.
Keeps 5-7 days refrigerated. Stir before serving as the oil may separate. Freezes well for up to 3 months.
For a vegetarian version, omit the terasi and add an extra splash of kecap manis for umami.
Do not add coconut milk. That moves it toward Thai/Malaysian territory and changes the character.