I learned to love peanut sauce (pindasaus) while living in the Netherlands. An Indonesian meal just isn’t right without it. This delicious sauce is a favorite of every member of our family. We use it most often to smother skewers of chicken (Saté Ajam) or beef (Saté Sapi), over vegetables for gado gado, or with mayonnaise and diced onions to top Frites for patatje oorlog. There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love peanut sauce, and those who haven’t eaten it often enough to crave it… yet.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp hot red curry powder
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- ¼ cup ketjap manis
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1–2 tsp sambal oelek, to taste
- 2 tsp tamarind paste (store-bought; or use our homemade Tamarind Paste from Whole Pods)
- 1 can (14.5 oz/400 ml) coconut milk
- ¼ tsp aji-no-moto, or to taste
- Warm water, as needed to thin
Optional
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce, for a deeper Dutch-Indonesian satay-house flavor
Directions
Bloom the Aromatics
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, stirring constantly so it does not brown.
Add the curry powder and ground coriander and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, until aromatic.
Build the Sauce
Stir in the peanut butter, ketjap manis, lime juice, brown sugar, sambal oelek, and tamarind paste. Mix until smooth and evenly combined.
Add the Coconut Milk
Gradually whisk in the coconut milk until the sauce is creamy and smooth. If using the optional dark soy sauce, stir it in now.
Reduce the heat to low and warm gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring often. Do not let the sauce boil hard.
Finish and Adjust
Stir in the aji-no-moto. Thin with warm water as needed until the sauce reaches your preferred consistency.
Taste and adjust with additional tamarind for tang, sambal for heat, brown sugar for sweetness, or a little more MSG for deeper savory flavor. Keep warm for serving, or cool and refrigerate for later use.
Serve
Serve warm over satay, spoon over blanched vegetables for gado gado, or drizzle over Frites with mayonnaise and diced onions for patatje oorlog.
Notes
Preparation
- Blooming the curry powder and coriander briefly in the oil deepens their flavor and helps them blend more fully into the sauce.
- Tamarind gives the sauce a brighter, more balanced finish and keeps it from tasting too sweet or heavy.
- MSG is optional, but even a small amount gives the sauce a fuller, more savory satay-stall character.
- Use warm water for thinning so the sauce stays smooth and emulsified.
Serving Suggestions
- This sauce is especially good with Saté Ajam.
- It also pairs beautifully with saté babi, grilled Saté Sapi, gado gado, or spooned over Frites with mayonnaise and diced onions for patatje oorlog.
- For a satay platter, serve with lime wedges, Acar Ketimun, fried shallots, and steamed rice or lontong.
Variations
- Add the optional dark soy sauce for a slightly deeper, more savory Dutch-Indonesian satay-house flavor.
- For a milder sauce, start with 1 tsp sambal oelek and increase to taste.
- For a tangier sauce, add an extra 1–2 tsp tamarind paste or a little more lime juice.
- For a looser sauce for gado gado or fries, thin with a bit more warm water until spoonable and pourable.
Make-Ahead & Storage
- The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.
- It will thicken considerably when chilled. Rewarm gently over low heat and thin with warm water as needed before serving.
- Leftovers are excellent repurposed as a dip for grilled chicken, a sauce for noodles, or a dressing for blanched vegetables.
