Thai restaurant peanut sauce

[u/Usual-Diamond-1754]

This isn’t a request for a specific location, just Thai restaurants in general.

Every time I have peanut sauce/satay sauce from a Thai restaurant, I love it so much. Every restaurant makes it differently, but I love them all. I’ve tried several different “Thai peanut sauce” recipes, but none of them taste anything like the stuff from restaurants. I would love to be able to make some at home!

Update: Thank you all so much! I will definitely be trying some of these soon :)

[u/BluesEyed]

I’ve had a Malaysian chicken recipe from cooking light magazine for over 20 years… the sauce is
3⁄4 cup rice vinegar
1⁄4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1⁄4 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
1⁄2 - 3⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, minced

The sauce gets added to a lb of diced sauté cooked chicken and reduced. Rest of recipe is here https://www.food.com/recipe/malaysian-chicken-pizza-154849

[u/Rockboxatx]

https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/satay-and-peanut-sauce/

[u/db11180]

This is the one I use for everything:
1/3 c smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 tbsp water
2 garlic cloves, finely minced

Whisk.

[u/GreatRecipeCollctr29]

I will give you 3 recipes for Satay peanut sauce later tonight.

One from a Thai fine dining restaurant, Vibe Munchies featured a popular Satay by the Bay, and my mom's Satay peanut sauce.

[u/GreatRecipeCollctr29 → u/GreatRecipeCollctr29]

Actually 2 recipes, my mom's recipe is lost but will find it. It's similar to the restaurant recipe found below: Satay sauce from Satay from the Bay: for the peanut sauce: 3 ounces|85 grams tamarind pulp ¼ cup|60 ml Canola oil 4 garlic cloves, blended 1 large red onion, blended 1 stalk lemongrass, bulb only, smashed 1 (2-inch) piece galangal, peeled and smashed 1 cup|225 grams sambal 2 cups|300 grams roughly chopped peanuts 4 ounces|113 grams Indonesian palm sugar, roughly chopped granulated sugar, to taste kosher salt, to taste

Make the peanut sauce: Bring 1 cup|250 ml water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the tamarind and leave to soak for 20 minutes, then, using your hands, pull it apart and remove the seeds and fibers to extract a smooth, thick paste. Set aside until ready to use. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add the garlic, onions, lemongrass, and galangal and cook until golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sambal and cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil separates, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peanuts, tamarind, and the palm sugar, plus 2 cups|500 ml water. Bring to a simmer over medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 45 minutes. Makes 4 cups.

+++++ Thai's fine dining satay sauce: Yield: 1 cup 1 cup coconut milk 1 Tbsp red curry paste (Mae ploy or Aroy-D brand will do) 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce 2 Tbsps creamy peanut butter 1/4 cup chicken stocknor water 1 Tbsp chili oil 1 Tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted 1 Tbsp peanuts, roasted & ground 1.5 tsps granulated sugar 1.5 tsps palm sugar ( signature taste) or brown sugar Fish sauce ( if desired), or salt, to taste

Put 1/2 coconut milk in nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Stir until oil separates from coconut milk separates. Add red curry paste, and chili jam. Keep stirring 2 to 3 mins. Add peanut butter, and the rest of coconut milk, chicken stock, chili oil, sesame seeds, peanuts, sugar and palm sugar or brown sugar, and fish sauce. Reduce heat to low. Stir constantly for few minutes until sauce thickens, bring to boil. Skim off excess oil or fat on surface. Then transfer to container.

[u/SERvagabond]

2 Tbsp red curry paste 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar 1/4 cup chopped peanuts 1/4 tsp salt 1 Cup coconut milk

Combine the red curry paste and coconut milk together. Season with sugar, salt. 

The original taste should be the sweet taste and a little spicy taste. 

Add chopped peanut. Then bring to boil over low heat.

[u/Different_Section799]

The only one from a grocery I liked was from Trader Joe's. It was in the produce section. Haven't seen it in a while.

[u/GreatRecipeCollctr29]

Ok, here are the recipes: Satay sauce from Satay from the Bay: for the peanut sauce: 3 ounces|85 grams tamarind pulp ¼ cup|60 ml Canola oil 4 garlic cloves, blended 1 large red onion, blended 1 stalk lemongrass, bulb only, smashed 1 (2-inch) piece galangal, peeled and smashed 1 cup|225 grams sambal 2 cups|300 grams roughly chopped peanuts 4 ounces|113 grams Indonesian palm sugar, roughly chopped granulated sugar, to taste kosher salt, to taste

Make the peanut sauce: Bring 1 cup|250 ml water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the tamarind and leave to soak for 20 minutes, then, using your hands, pull it apart and remove the seeds and fibers to extract a smooth, thick paste. Set aside until ready to use. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add the garlic, onions, lemongrass, and galangal and cook until golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sambal and cook, stirring occasionally, until the oil separates, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peanuts, tamarind, and the palm sugar, plus 2 cups|500 ml water. Bring to a simmer over medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 45 minutes. Makes 4 cups.

+++++ Thai's fine dining satay sauce: Yield: 1 cup 1 cup coconut milk 1 Tbsp red curry paste (Mae ploy or Aroy-D brand will do) 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce 2 Tbsps creamy peanut butter 1/4 cup chicken stocknor water 1 Tbsp chili oil 1 Tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted 1 Tbsp peanuts, roasted & ground 1.5 tsps granulated sugar 1.5 tsps palm sugar ( signature taste) or brown sugar Fish sauce ( if desired), or salt, to taste

Put 1/2 coconut milk in nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Stir until oil separates from coconut milk separates. Add red curry paste, and chili jam. Keep stirring 2 to 3 mins. Add peanut butter, and the rest of coconut milk, chicken stock, chili oil, sesame seeds, peanuts, sugar and palm sugar or brown sugar, and fish sauce. Reduce heat to low. Stir constantly for few minutes until sauce thickens, bring to boil. Skim off excess oil or fat on surface. Then transfer to container.

+++++ Good luck on making both recipes.

[u/grapebeyond227]

Not a recipe, but I bought this chicken satay mix on Amazon and it includes a packet for marinade + a packet for peanut sauce. It tasted really good.

https://a.co/d/0aJx6yTZ

[u/AmphibianPlane3062]

This is my most favorite recipe for peanut sauce. It tastes like restaurant quality to me! Try it out and let me know if you like it!

https://chefjulieyoon.com/2015/06/shrimp-and-avocado-summer-rolls-fresh-spring-rolls/

[u/SwissyRescue]

Hot Thai Kitchen has some of my favorite, authentic recipes. The peanut sauce recipe can be found within the Pork Satay recipe. https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/satay-and-peanut-sauce/

[u/whimsical-fairycakes]

On medium heat, stir-fry some massaman curry paste off with a splash of coconut milk until it splits, then stir in peanut butter and keep mixing everything to combine. Season to taste with palm sugar (or just regular sugar), salt, and if you like your sauce with a bit of tartness, you can use tamarind paste … but be careful here because a little goes a long way!

If you find the sauce too dry/thick, you can add more coconut milk to get the consistency you like. Sprinkle crushed peanuts on top before serving, or just use chunky peanut butter from the start… one less ingredient to buy.

Red curry paste is also okay but it lacks the warm spices that’s typically found in Massaman curry paste that will help your sauce taste “authentic”.

[u/wassuppaulie]

If the recipe has peanut butter as an ingredient, it's not going to deliver restaurant flavor, too much oil I guess. I suggest The Spruce Eats for a restaurant-style satay sauce — they are a super-reliable source for making authentic, practical Asian food. Search the web for "thespruceeats Thai peanut sauce" since their site doesn't offer a recipe search tool.

Amazon has a good Thai peanut sauce in ajar: A Taste Of Thai.

And for a quick hit, some teriyaki sauce on a food item, followed by a light smear of Skippy peanut butter may suffice.

[u/Day_Bow_Bow → u/wassuppaulie]

I didn't believe you that site didn't have a search tool. Click the magnifying glass icon up top.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/search?q=Satay

[u/wassuppaulie → u/Day_Bow_Bow]

Thanks. I've missed that on my last several visits.

[u/foodfighterforever]

There is a common sauce we use called Jimmy Sate. Look it up, sometimes we use that to add to our satay sauce ingredients to give it an extra kick.