Malaysian Satay Sauce

I obtained this recipe from http://www.spicysteve.com/recipes/recipe026.html but have modified some ingredients to get this delicious spicy sauce. Best eaten with satays, or use the sauce with fried noodles. Also taste good with cucumber-shallot salad.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 10-15
• Yields: 500 ml

Ingredients

• 250  ml roasted peanuts
• 125  ml coconut milk
• 150  ml water
• 30  ml tamarind juice
• 160  ml  peanut oil
• 4  tablespoons palm sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt

• Spice paste

• 10  dried chilies (soak in hot water for 15 minutes until soft, then remove seeds)
• 3  garlic cloves
• 3  red shallots
• 2  candlenuts (or macadamia nuts)
• 3  stalks lemongrass
• 1⁄2 inch galangal
• 1⁄2 inch fresh ginger
• 1  tablespoon  coriander seed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fennel seed

Directions

1. Soak tamarind pulp in warm/hot water for 20 minutes (1/2 tbsp tamarind pulp to 60 ml water). Squeeze pulp, strain juice and discard pulp.
2. Grind peanut using a blender until fine texture. Set aside.
3. Dry fry coriander, cumin & fennel seeds for about 1-2 minutes and grind using a spice mill. Blend other spice paste ingredients until a smooth paste. Mix all together.
4. Heat oil and fry paste for 1-2 mins until fragrant.
5. Add tamarind juice and let boiled. Add coconut milk and water. Stir slowly to mix the ingredients.
6. Add sugar, salt and peanuts, keep stirring to prevent peanuts from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Adjust tamarind juice, sugar and salt to desired taste.
7. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, keep stirring until a layer of oil forms on top of the sauce.