Asian Peanut Ginger Dressing
I was making this for salads then decided to melt it into some hot Udon noodles and top them with my Asian style salad. I use lemongrass oil in this as well as Thai basil to give it a Thai slant. I could use Chinese curry and cilantro to go another direction. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1/3 Cup Peanut butter Crunchy or creamy to your preference. I like the crunchy most of the time. I use an organic brand with nothing but ground peanuts!
- 1 Tsp Honey
- 4 Tbsp Hot water
- 3 Tbsp Fresh lime juice
- 1/2 Tbsp Ginger Purée
- 1/2 Tbsp Garlic Purée
- 3 Drops Lemongrass Oil I use Zongle.
- 1/4 Tsp Toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 Tsp Toasted sesame seeds
- 4 Tbsp Umeboshi Plum Vinegar
- 10-20 Thai basil leaves
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil. Drizzle in the honey to melt then add the peanut butter to melt. (Take the pan off the heat or mix ingredients in a bowl with a small whisk).
- Add in Ginger Purée, Garlic Purée, sesame oil and lemongrass oil. Both oils are strong but the lemongrass is so concentrated it can be overpowering.
- Add vinegar and lime juice.
- Thai basil is delicious in this but regular basil is not quite as good. Use cilantro if you prefer or leave the herbs out. Otherwise chop very fine and add to the dressing.
- Mix well and adjust the flavor to your taste with more of the oils, vinegar or Purée's.
Notes
This is a Snap Pea Sheep Recipe!
A peanut dressing for Asian food is not new but the brightness from lemongrass and lime might be. You could use Tahini instead if you have a peanut allergy. (I am afraid I don't know if you would be allergic to tahini as well. Tahini is strong in flavor so use half the amount.
The other ingredient that is strong is lemongrass oil. Zongle makes an essential oil that is safe for consumption. It is extremely strong and one drop too many can ruin a dish. Start with 2 or 3 and add to your preference.
I melt the peanut butter with extremely hot water then add the honey to blend it in. I generally do not like honey in my dressing but it really needed a touch of sweetness. Puréed plum might be a more acceptable sweetener for you. Applesauce is too grainy!
I tried this on a few other salads as well. They are all similar ingredients but the dressing makes the dishes!
Try this on frilled tofu or roasted butternut squash rounds. It goes surprisingly well with grilled eggplant.
Thai Papaya Chopped Salad