Peanut Sauce (Gado Gado)

I. This sauce is perfect when used as a dipping sauce for Pork Sate. 

7 tbl. peanut oil

2 tbl. dried minced onion

Sprinkle of garlic powder

1 tsp. dried shrimp paste (trasi)--optional

Chile powder to taste

1 tbl. lemon juice

1 tbl. dark soy sauce (Ketjap manis)

12 oz. crunchy peanut butter

1 1/2 tbl. brown sugar

Heat oil in a small frying pan and fry the onion flakes carefully. Remove from oil. Fry the trasi, crushing it with the back of a spoon. Add lemon juice, garlic powder, chile powder, and soy sauce. Remove pan from heat, stir in peanut butter. Stir until well blended. Cool. Add fried onions and sugar. Mix thoroughly and put in a screw top jar to store in fridge.

Use as is, or mix in enough coconut milk or water to make sauce more liquid in consistency. 

The original version of this recipe comes from The Complete Asian Cookbook, by Charmaine Solomon. I've made a few changes to suit our family's taste. 

II.This is another peanut sauce that you can use with pork sate.

1 cup peanut butter

4 tbl. vinegar

4 tbl. cream

1 tsp. sambal oelek (or to taste)

Blend, and add the following:

Sugar, soya sauce, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and ginger. 

Pork Satay

3/4 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 3/4" pieces

Ketjap manis

Marinate the pork in the ketjap for several hours or overnight. Drain. Thread the pork pieces onto skewers and broil or grill until well done. Serve with steamed rice and peanut sauce for dipping.

Ketjap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)

Ketjap manis is used in Indonesian cooking. It can be hard to find, although these days can be ordered online--or you can make your own.

2 cups dark brown sugar 

2 cups water 

1 1/2 cups soy sauce 

3/4 cups molasses 

1/2 tsp ground laos or ginger

1/2 tsp ground coriander 

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

Combine the sugar and water in a large heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Turn heat up to high and cook briskly, uncovered, for 5 minutes, or until the syrup reaches 200F on a candy thermometer. Reduce heat to low, stir in remaining ingredients, and simmer for three minutes. Strain the sauce through a sieve. The ketjap will keep at room temperature for 2-3 months if tightly covered, although I prefer to refrigerate it. Yields approximately 1 quart.