Description
Delicious and easy-to-make Peanut Sauce perfect for stir fries. This sauce combines savory fish sauce, soy, peanut butter, and aromatic spices, offering a rich and creamy flavor that enhances any stir-fried vegetables, proteins, and noodles. Ideal for quick weeknight meals, this sauce can be doubled for larger servings and pairs beautifully with rice noodles or fresh noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
Peanut Sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp curry powder (any type)
- 1 1/2 tbsp (30 g) crunchy peanut butter, regular
- 3 tbsp water
Stir Fry
- 1 single batch Peanut Sauce (prepared above)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
- 180-200g (6-7 oz) protein of choice, sliced
- 3-4 cups vegetables of choice, chopped or sliced as required (grouped by cooking time)
- 100g (3.5 oz) dried rice noodles OR 180g (6 oz) fresh noodles of choice, prepared per packet instructions
- Finely chopped coriander/cilantro (for garnish)
- Crushed peanuts (for garnish)
Instructions
- Make the Peanut Sauce: In a bowl, combine fish sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, cornflour, minced garlic, grated ginger, curry powder, crunchy peanut butter, and water. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and well blended, ensuring there are no lumps from the peanut butter or cornflour.
- Prepare the Stir Fry Base: Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion and minced garlic, sautéing until fragrant and onions start to soften, about 2-3 minutes.
- Cook Protein and Vegetables: Add your chosen sliced protein to the pan and stir fry until nearly cooked through, about 3-5 minutes depending on protein type. Then add vegetables grouped by cooking time, starting with those that take longer to cook first. Stir fry all together until vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Add Sauce and Noodles: Pour the prepared peanut sauce over the stir fry ingredients. Toss to coat all components evenly, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly as the cornflour activates. Add pre-cooked noodles to the pan, gently mixing everything together so the noodles are well coated.
- Finish and Serve: Remove from heat once everything is heated through and well combined. Garnish with finely chopped coriander/cilantro and crushed peanuts before serving hot. Enjoy immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Fish sauce provides umami and depth; it can be substituted with soy sauce for vegetarians.
- Dark soy sauce adds color and richness; light soy sauce can be used but will result in a lighter color.
- Cornflour/cornstarch is added to thicken the sauce when heated.
- Group vegetables by cooking time; for example, add carrots and broccoli first, and quicker-cooking veggies like bell peppers last.
- Noodles should be prepared according to package instructions before adding to the stir fry.
- You can double the peanut sauce quantities for larger servings or leftovers.
- Use crunchy peanut butter for added texture, but smooth peanut butter can also be used.
