My ‘Perfect’ Peanut Sauce

I once stumbled across noted Food Network chef Michael Smith’s signature peanut sauce recipe, and I was quite disappointed – I know he has traveled and tasted many great things across the world, and his recipe seems like an utter injustice to all his training. Personally, I’m not a big fan of his culinary concoctions – to me, his recipes seem to lack in boldness and character, possibly because he is catering to a North American audience with limited, if any, exposure to flavorful food ;p I never understood how he has achieved so much acclaim in Canada, especially considering how people here are becoming increasingly adept at appreciating ‘exotic’ influences, even in the most remote and rustic (redneck) realms. Nonetheless, there is something very refreshing in his approach towards cooking – “A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook.”  In comparison to flashier foodies, I may call him lacklustre, but what he really lacks is pretentiousness – and therein lies his undeniable charm. Simplistic though his words and recipes may seem, there is something very profoundly pleasing about his manner – “Remember, words have no flavour, you have to add your own!”

Thus inspired by Smith, I once set off on a mission – “In Search of Peanutty Perfection” – a la Heston Blumenthal (who is at the opposite end of the culinary spectrum). I have tried many different variations of peanut sauce in a variety of venues – restaurants, hawker stands, local night markets, supermarket products, friends’ mother’s cooking, to name a few – and every single variation had something unique to offer. Needless to say, in Southeast Asian cultures, where peanuts comprise a characteristic component of local cuisine, it is inevitable that each household will have its own rendition of something as ubiquitous as peanut sauce. After about a year of experimentation, I discovered that each cultural influence incorporates unique ingredients within this earthy condiment: for instance, while traditional Indonesian and Thai recipes necessitate the usage of galangal, the Chinese and Vietnamese can easily substitute the same with ginger and ginseng… the list of preferred ingredients is thus endless. Each regional variant seems to successfully complement the respective dishes and delicacies. Since I do not have nearly as much time or money at my disposal as Heston Blumenthal, instead of engaging in further research, I arrived at the premature conclusion that there is no such thing as ‘the perfect peanut sauce’ – presumed perfection is relative, at best.

That being said, to the average North American (read as non-urban, and thus a slight contradiction of my aforementioned defending statement), the words ‘peanut sauce’ may connote something sweet and gloopy, potentially the product of microwaved processed peanut butter (yeuch!). An over simplification, or even a stereotype on my part, but I have actually witnessed inexcusable culinary crimes of this sort while living in college dorms. Perhaps I am being too harsh on my fellow students, who, while subsisting on a steady diet of instant noodles for time and budgetary concerns, are willing to forgo all sense of taste and nutrition, but come on, could one not add even a dash of soy sauce, hot sauce and vinegar… perhaps I am asking for too much from this segment of the student population, whose ambitions lie in challenging not their tastebuds but their livers by consuming copious quantities of beer (I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised that contemporary college culture puts precedence on alcohol). Not being able to withstand such blasphemy any longer, I have renewed my mission to create a recipe for a peanut sauce so ‘perfect’ that it would make even the most putrid protein (canned fish, ugh!) taste great.

From my experience, an ideal peanut sauce is all about balance of flavours. One can find recipes on the internet that range from using as few as 3 ingredients to as many as 30 – but it really does not have to be as complicated, so long as a few essential components have been properly combined. After a few trials and errors, here is my ultimate recipe (the proportions are approximates, and guided by my preference):

1)      In a saucepan, lightly sauté shredded ginger, finely chopped garlic + green onions, lime zest and  in about 1 tbsp sesame oil on medium heat.

2)      Once sautéed, add 1 tbsp soy sauce (or ½ tbsp fish sauce) and 1 tbsp honey. Reduce heat to low and mix. You can also add more lime juice for more tang.

3)      Add 3-4 tbsp of all natural chunky peanut butter (not the processed kind, since it has too much sugar and other crap in it). Stir gently to achieve smoother consistency.

4)      Now add ½ – 1 tbsp of Sriracha hot sauce (the one you see with the rooster logo).

5)      For a lighter consistency, add about 1-2 tbsp of water. For a richer flavour and creamier texture, add 1-2 tbsp of coconut milk. Keep stirring on low heat, and avoid separation.

6)      Turn off heat and let it cool.

Hopefully you will be able to taste what I have deemed a ‘perfect confluence’ of flavours – sweet (from the peanuts and the honey), smokey (from the sesame oil, and the Sriracha sauce), earthy (peanuts, garlic and ginger), slightly pungent (green onions and fish sauce), sour (lime zest and lime juice) salty (fish sauce, soy sauce), spicy (Sriracha hot sauce), and umami (if you use coconut milk). This sauce can be used as a dip on the side for satays, as a base for cooking vegetables and meats, or even poured on top of cooked noodles – just throw in some bean sprouts for even more freshness and crunch! I’m quite sure Michael Smith would be proud!

There are all sorts of variations I would like to try within this recipe itself – such as using freshly roasted and self ground peanuts instead of peanut butter, red chilli powder or chilli flakes instead Sriracha hot sauce, palm sugar instead of honey, orange zest and orange juice instead of using limes… etc, but for now, this shall suffice. I know that this ‘pursuit for perfection’ does not even compare to Heston’s calibre, but hey, I’m doing what I can to keep my tastebuds alive!

I didn't take this picture... but I'm sure my dinner would've looked just like this, if not better!

“No man in the world has more courage than the man who can stop after eating one peanut.” ~ Channing Pollock

The Beginning of All Things to Come

It is that time of the year, yet again, for all those who are currently still slaves to the grind… the world of Academia, that is. I am currently passing through the throes of springtime, and although the weather gets better with each passing day, I find myself becoming more restless for a number of reasons.

1) There is no such thing as ‘Spring Break’ for us here at UBC, this time of the year, even though elementary and high schools students all around us are currently making the best of this weather. While we trudge to classes with our books and our bags, we can’t help but feel envious at these kids traipsing around in their parks and playgrounds. And even though we get a 4-month long summer break, which is a much more desirable option, its at times like these that the grass certainly seems greener everywhere else. And who isn’t susceptible to turning green with envy these days?

2) Speaking of green, spring time certainly can be a double edged sword. Everyone is generally appreciative of the rapidly improving weather and verdure, but none more so than pharmacists and apothecaries. Each blooming bud presents them with new opportunities to peddle their array of anti-allergens. Each year, we are bombarded by advertisements through all forms of media, with some or the other big brand touting its ‘new and improved’ formula. Amusingly enough, some hippies I know too have chosen this time to metamorphose into their inner yuppie selves – I have seen them make a killing overnight by marketing their ‘100% organic’ remedies and playing on people’s conscience and gullibility. It doesn’t matter if importing their ingredients from across the globe increases their ecological footprint, so long as they are ‘100% organic.’ After all, helping their pill-popping brethren turn over a leaf with natural, herbal products helps everyone feel better about themselves. Except perhaps the average (read as jaded) microbiology and immunology students, who will debate endlessly on this issue. But I’ll spare you that 🙂

3) With all major midterms, assignments, term papers and all other flotsam finally out of the way, one finally gets some time to breathe (pollen!) and unwind for a bit. Sadly, this ‘bit’, regardless of it being a week or two, or even four in my case,  doesn’t feel  seem to satisfy my need to recover fully from the delirium of times gone by. I guess my problem is that I get too used to a routine. First, the anxiety surrounding each successive wave of midterms and submissions becomes a norm. I feel considerably relieved after crossing each such obstacle, but I can’t help thinking about what I will do with all that ‘extra’ time, now that there is no need to study and revise regularly. Like any other normal person, I use that time to catch up on guilty pleasures that were previously forsaken. So now, self-indulgence too becomes a routine. And when this period of cerebral ceasefire between the end of midterms and impending exams approaches sundown, a sinking feeling begins to dawn on me – I should have been using this time to start preparing for the finals… but who wants to stay indoors and study, when the weather’s getting so much better! That, and/or I have utterly exhausted all opportunities of watching my favorite shows online during this new found free time.

Which brings me to my main point: Is it just me, or is it common for most people to be indulging their most obtuse distractions enthusiastically around this time of the year? In the wake of exams, I find myself overwhelmed – not with academic pressure, but with the sheer multitude of creative ideas – and every passing fancy seems more all the more appealing as the exams inch closer and closer. Never before have I wanted to read as many books, cook as many random things, go for long runs, discover more new music and last but not the least, record all my thoughts, since I am most likely to forget all these exciting prospects as soon as the exams pass over. It is almost like all the time in the world seems to fall short in trying to accomplish such instantaneous objectives, only because following such fantasies seems more fulfilling than poring over microbial physiology and gene transfers. Considering that I have gone through such phases every single time immediately prior to my examinations, I am, for once, taking the initiative to pen (or type, if you prefer) my thoughts here, before all that remains of this rambling is nothing but a distant memory of regret. And no, I won’t hold any regrets for ‘having studied instead’ – I will certainly regret not having ‘seized the day’ when I could have. So here is my excuse, or rather, inspiration for blogging … Carpe Diem!