Thai Peanut Salad Dressing

[scott123]

Whenever I crack open a Thai cookbook, I alwas seek out three recipes.

1. Red Curry

2. Satay Sauce

3. Peanut Salad Dressing

Number 3, at least the peanut salad dressing I'm served in Thai restaurants, has always been quite elusive. You know the one I'm talking about. It's the first thing that comes out. Iceberg lettuce that's almost white it's so pale, an equally dull looking wedge of tomato and this wonderful, almost sickeningly sweet peanut/coconut dressing.

It's blatantly obvious that the dressing contains:

Peanut butter

Coconut milk

Sugar

Cayenne (or other hot powdered chili)

but what else?

[tommy]

i'd put red curry paste in the peanut dressing instead of cayenne. but that's just me.

[Gifted Gourmet]

but what else?

←

here is the one I have made and love:

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

3/4 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon chili paste 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup onion, diced finely

1/8 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon fish sauce

[scott123]

i'd put red curry paste in the peanut dressing instead of cayenne.  but that's just me.

←

I'm pretty sure at some point I tried that. Something was missing, though. Maybe it's vinegar, possibly ginger (more than what's in the paste) or maybe I was too stingy with the sugar.

[tommy]

it's generally a sweet dressing. i use palm sugar. a touch of fish sauce. in fact, from what i've experienced in thai restaurants, it's not much unlike peanut dipping sauce for satay. i get the feeling it's not eaten in thailand, but i could be wrong.

[scott123]

i get the feeling it's not eaten in thailand, but i could be wrong.

←

I get the same feeling - due to my difficulty in finding the recipe in authentic Thai cookbooks.

[scott123]

here is the one I have made and love:

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

3/4 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon chili paste 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup onion, diced finely

1/8 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon fish sauce

←

Thanks! Now that I think about it, it could be the molassesey note of the palm/brown sugar that I'm missing.

So, no vinegar?

[andiesenji]

I have never been satisfied with any of the "Thai" specific salad dressings.

What I use is a recipe for the Indonesian salad dressing for Gado gado vegetable salad, my all time favorite.

This recipe was given to me by the owner of J.B's Little Bali, a little Indonesian restaurant once located in Inglewood, California. The restaurant is long gone, but the memory lingers on.

Peanut Sauce or Dressing for Gado Gado vegetable salad

2 tablespoons light oil, canola, etc.

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter, fresh home made is better and doesn't take long to make.

3/4 cup coconut milk (thicker or thinner depending on your own preference)

1 teaspoon chili paste (I usually use sweet chile sauce, 3 tablespoons instead)

1 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar (substitute light brown sugar)

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced

1 large clove garlic, finely minced

1/3 cup onion, fine dice

1 tablespoon fish sauce (or substitute light soy sauce if desired)

Heat oil in a large skillet (use a wok if you wish), add ginger, garlic and onion and cook till garlic is just beginning to show color.

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Reduce heat to low and stir constantly for about two or three minutes until sauce is well blended. If it is too thick, add a little more coconut milk and stir to blend.

Pour over the warm vegetables and toss well. Serve immediately.

The sauce can be made ahead and kept warm over a tealight. Or if serving large parties keep warm in a small crockpot.

[msphoebe]

I love the stuff, too, but learned a while back that this sauce creation is not really "Thai". Here is a link that somewhat explains the peanut connection, as well as my recipe for a peanut salad dressing. The dressing is really good on a green salad with chunks of chicken and crunchy noodles.

http://www.thaitable.com/Thai/cooking/edit...Sauce/index.asp

Ginger-Peanut Salad Dressing

Serving Size : 8

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup salad oil

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh garlic -- chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger -- chopped

[scott123]

Thanks Andiesenji!

Melissa, your ingredients are almost identical. Do you cook yours?

[scott123]

I love the stuff, too, but learned a while back that this sauce creation is not really "Thai".  Here is a link that somewhat explains the peanut connection, as well as my recipe for a peanut salad dressing.  The dressing is really good on a green salad with chunks of chicken and crunchy noodles.

http://www.thaitable.com/Thai/cooking/edit...Sauce/index.asp

←

Thanks for the recipe and the link to the article. That definitely clears things up. I figured that peanut salad dressing was a westernized abomination. That's probably why I love it so much. I really dig fusion.