In the very last throes of summer produce, I have a couple of Thai chilis. So, what better way to use them than for spring rolls with a spicy peanut sauce? Now, Thai chilis might not be in the more classic of peanut sauces. But I am a big fan of Thai chilis and routinely put them in everything from Thai to Mexican food. You can easily mix and match in whatever peppers that you have on hand or omit them entirely for a milder variation. Although I'm a fan of spicy food and am quite pleased with the Thai chilis!
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Variations of Peanut Sauce
Peanut sauce is in incredibly easy and versatile dipping sauce. You can throw it together in a matter of minutes and dip anything you like in them. Today, I specifically made this version for spring rolls. I used it for fried tofu, Patagonian shrimp, and Halloween-inspired spring roll with the shrimp and tofu dyed black with squid ink. Although peanut sauce can be used as a dip for a variety of other dishes or even as a salad dressing or stir fry.
This peanut sauce consists of tamari, Thai chilis, rice vinegar, creamy peanut butter, and freshly squeezed lime juice. It's a quick and easy recipe that you can toss together in a matter of minutes from things that you probably already have in the back of your pantry. I cook a lot with tamari and rice vinegar. Although soy sauce apple cider vinegar work well as substitutes. You can also add or subtract any number of chilly peppers to adjust the spice level to your own personal taste. I used Thai chilis because they're ripening in the garden right now. They are a great chili for this recipe, though!
Combine all of the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a bowl and mix until combined.If you don't have to have to finely mince the chilis, you can always put all of this in a food processor and pulse until puréed. This method also helps if you only have chunky peanut butter and still want a smoother consistency.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
It's preferable to use peanut butter that is just peanuts and salt. Many peanut butters contain copious amounts of sugar and other fillers. This isn't necessarily the flavor profile that you're going for with a spicy peanut sauce here, though! The sugar will counteract the heat from the chilis if you're looking for a milder flavor profile. Although you can always adjust the amount of peppers that you put in or eliminate them entirely to achieve the same effect without the added sugar.
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