Peanut Sauce

I started making this recipe in 1999. It came from a Canyon Ranch cookbook.  I adapted it a little.  You'd think I'd have a picture of it, but alas. I'll get one someday.

2 - 3 teaspoons of cornstarch (depending how thick you want the thickner)
1 cup of water
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1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup peanut butter (homogenized or natural--just peanuts no other stuff)
2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil
garlic cloves (I've made it with from 1 clove to 3 depending on my mood. Original recipe says 4.)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)

1. Combine the cornstarch and water in a saucepan and stir until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and stir constantly till thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.  

2. Combine all the other ingredients in a blender and puree. Add the cooled cornstarch mixture and either blend in the blender or stir well with a whisk.


I typically pour it over  broccoli, or any veggie, noodles, rice, quinoa... You can pour it over so many things.

Just for the record, I made this as Christmas Dinner in 2006.  (The girls were little, and we'd moved into our new house on the 23rd. It was a super fun Christmas with no working oven.)

 

Here's a picture of it with broccoli and whole wheat spaghetti.  YUM!  (It looks even prettier when you sprinkle in red pepper, but I didn't this time.