Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 50 g shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 15 g garlic, peeled
- 10 g red bird's eye chilies, stemmed
- 15 g lemongrass, tender inner white part only, finely sliced
Base and Liquids
- 200 g roasted unsalted peanuts, skinless
- 200 ml coconut milk, full fat, well shaken
- 100 ml water
- 15 ml peanut oil
Seasoning
- 30 ml kecap manis
- 30 g palm sugar, finely grated or chopped
- 15 g tamarind paste
- 5 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the roasted peanuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. The texture should resemble coarse sand, not smooth peanut butter. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Without washing the food processor, add the chopped shallots, garlic, red chilies, and sliced lemongrass. Process until a smooth aromatic paste forms, adding a splash of water if necessary to keep the blades moving.
Heat the peanut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat (around 175 C / 350 F). Add the aromatic paste and saute continuously until fragrant and the raw smell dissipates, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir the ground peanuts into the saucepan with the cooked paste, cooking for 1 minute to toast the nuts slightly.
Pour in the coconut milk, water, kecap manis, palm sugar, tamarind paste, and salt. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently at around 85 C / 185 F, stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from scorching, until the sauce thickens and a thin layer of deep red oil floats to the surface, about 10 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool slightly. The sauce will continue to thicken as it rests. Adjust consistency with a tablespoon of warm water if it becomes too stiff.
Chef's Notes
- Authentic Bumbu Kacang relies on fresh roasted peanuts rather than commercial peanut butter. This creates a beautifully rustic, slightly gravelly texture that clings perfectly to grilled meats.
- The visible separation of oil at the end of cooking (known as 'pecah minyak') is highly desirable in Southeast Asian curries and sauces, indicating the spices have been cooked thoroughly.
- Kecap manis is an essential Indonesian ingredient that provides a syrupy texture, deep mahogany color, and molasses-like sweetness that cannot be perfectly replicated by regular soy sauce.
- Tamarind provides crucial acidity to cut through the richness of the peanuts and coconut milk. If using fresh lime juice as a substitute, stir it in off the heat at the very end to prevent the coconut milk from curdling.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container. Sauce will thicken significantly when chilled; thin with warm water before serving.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in ice cube trays or portioned containers for easy thawing.
Reheating: Warm gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water or coconut milk to restore the original consistency.
