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- Makes 2 cups
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The Goldilocks of curry sauces, Thai red curry has a deeper, bolder flavor than yellow curry but less of a spicy kick than green curry. Roasted red bell peppers give it an enticing orange hue while a medley of irresistible spices—including cumin and coriander—meld together into a mind-blowingly-good sauce. Fragrant lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, and galangal (Thai ginger) bring in notes of citrus that pair perfectly with a touch of creamy peanut butter. Not sure how to use this versatile sauce? Simmer veggies in it and spoon everything over a bed of rice, or use it to create a saucy noodle bowl to satisfy all your comfort food cravings.
Tip: If you can’t find kaffir lime leaves, substitute the same amount of fresh lime zest. No fresh galangal? Substitute the same amount of grated fresh ginger.
For more homemade sauce, check out these tasty ideas:
Ingredients
- 1 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers
- ¼ of a medium yellow onion, cut into large pieces
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 12 small cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 5 dried chiles de árbol or other dried red chiles, seeds removed
- 3 tablespoons pure cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground lemongrass
- ½ teaspoon ground galangal
- ½ teaspoon ground kaffir lime leaf
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender combine all ingredients except peanut butter; add 1 cup water. Process until uniformly blended.
- Transfer mixture to a small saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in peanut butter; cook 1 minute more. Let cool to room temperature. To Store: Refrigerate in a glass jar up to 1 week. Or freeze in a freezer-safe container up to 2 months.
Comments (8)
(3 from 2 votes)As with so many FOK recipes, there is always a tacit assumption that you can even find (or know anything about) exotic ingredients such as galangal, keffir lime, etc. I am a trained chef and avid WFPB advocate and am considered an authority on world cuisines and foodways; but even among my local network of Asian groceries I have never seen some core seasonings or ingredients such as dried or frozen curry or keffir lime leaves, fresh galangal or lemon grass (I now have a garden full of it), or jackfruit. There is an off-putting elitism to too many of these recipes. We don't all have access to ethnic or high-end groceries, nor have many people ever tasted or know how to select many of the ingredients cited. What is needed at this site are more (and cheaper) recipes with more creative suggestions about making substitutions from readily available ingredients. I do not want to see one more recipe that calls for nutritional yeast or any other exotic component as a necessary and core ingredient. This is NOT how to win over the general public to a WFPB way of life. Or...maybe that's the point: to keep it exclusive. I refuse to make something such as "cheesy" sauce based on cashews (expensive) and nutritional yeast (expensive and hard to find in its best form), for example. Don't assume that everyone is willing to order such things online. I'm not, and I won't add to the extremely environmentally unsound and wasteful practices of food and general delivery companies. Don't claim to be promoting WFPB partly on the basis of environmental concerns if you are also subtly shilling for food delivery. Poor and rural people want to go WFPB, too. These assumptions feed the public perception that WFPB is only for rich people who can find and pay for such things.
Sorry, but three tablespoons of sugar is not "a little bit." Also, in my experience reading canned food labels, it is virtually impossible to purchase roasted peppers that are not accompanied by salt.
This was definitely tasty but the watery nature of it makes me think more towards a dressing or topping for a cold dish... rather than a 'sauce'. Is the ingredient list complete? I might mix in some cannellini or garbanzo beans next time to thicken it up some.
Are there really 12 cloves of garlic in this recipe??
Why add cane sugar?
Hi Irene, While we definitely recommend using cane sugar very sparingly, there are instances in which using a little bit can make a big difference in the flavor of a sauce or dessert, and Chef Darshana Thacker Wendel, who is a huge proponent of WFPB eating, sometimes feels it's appropriate. This also applies to all-purpose flour. Learn more about what FOK recommends for a WFPB pantry here: https://www.forksoverknives.com/how-tos/give-your-kitchen-pantry-a-healthy-plant-based-makeover/ Thank you, Courtney, editor, Forks Over Knives
How many ounces is the jar of peppers?
1 cup equals 8 ounces