Peanut Sauce — Weekend Cooking
In the comments to last week’s post on peanut butter, Peanut Butter — An Overeater’s Tips, Margot of Joyfully Retired asked for the peanut sauce recipe we use for stir-fry. We aim to please!
We usually use this sauce with a stir-fry of onions, sliced chicken, and a wok full of cooking greens. We stir in cooked soba noodles at the last minute and top the servings with a few peanuts. I use a combination of greens, often kale and chard because that’s what I grow in my garden. This week I added spinach and tatsoi to the mix because they were in our CSA box.
We eat this once or twice a week all year round. It’s the highest fat and highest sodium dish in our normal repertoire, but it will get us to eat so many greens that we consider it a healthy meal in our diet.
I’m lax about measurements with most sauces, marinades, and dressings, but I measure everything in this sauce because my chef (aka as my husband, Rick) prefers it to be consistent. I use chicken stock if I have it, otherwise I’ll substitute whey (a side product from making yogurt cheese) or water. The only other change I make is adding extra honey if the greens are really bitter, like collards.
Since there’s starch in the sauce, it needs to be brought to a boil. Rick, the chef for this dish, pushes the stir-fry up on the walls of the wok when it’s done, dumps the sauce in the middle and brings it to a boil until it thickens a bit. Then we add the soba noodles while stirring everything all together.
Peanut Sauce for Stir-Fry
by Joy Weese Moll
2 Tablespoons light soy sauce
3 Tablespoons chicken stock (or whey or water)
1.5 Tablespoons peanut butter
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon starch (tapioca or corn)
Mix all ingredients in food processor or blender. Bring to a boil and allow to thicken slightly. Serves 2.
There must be many versions of peanut sauce. Do you have a favorite recipe?
Weekend Cooking is hosted every Saturday at Beth Fish Reads. Check out this weekend’s post for cooking and food posts from around the web.
This sounds delicious! I’ve never made a peanut sauce with hoisin before, but now I’m eager to give it a try.
Sounds wonderful! We eat greens several times a week in many forms. We love them.
Thanks for sharing this!
I’m always looking for a good peanut sauce. I have yet to perfect mine. I’ll have to try yours.
I am going to try this one – pinning for later reference, thanks Joy. Have a good week.
Oh my Gods, this has peanut butter AND hoisin sauce, two of my favorite ingredients. I am so making this, maybe even tonight! I think I have some chinese cabbage that needs stir-frying…
I like the way you think! I’m a sucker for pretty much any sort of peanut sauce…and I could probably dive into that bucket with a spoon.
This sounds so good and so easy. I’ve been using Trader Joe’s Satay Sauce, but would much rather make my over peanut sauce. And I just made some nice brown rice for it.
And congratulations on your 500th post. That is a real milestone you should be very proud of.
This sounds so good (and simple). I used to get peanut noodles from a takeout place near my apartment; now I’m all nostalgic for them. this plus some vermicelli would probably be about the same!
Thanks for sharing this recipe; I can’t wait to try it.
Oh Joy, thank you. I actually have all the ingredients in my house right now but have never put them together in this way. I also have some lovely kale and collards in my garden too. I can’t wait to try this. I’ll let you know how it turns out.