1 cup oil, preferably peanut oil
6 whole, fat, juicy garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
1 tomato, seeds removed and chopped
1 tablespoon ground laos, optional
150 grams peanuts
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 chillies, chopped (deseeded if wished)
¼ cup fried onions
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 tablespoon grated palm sugar
juice 2 limes
3 tablespoons kecap manis (Indonesian soy sauce)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
¼-½ cup warm water
1. Heat the oil in a wok and quickly cook the garlic and tomato for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Toss in the laos and peanuts to the wok and cook only until the peanuts are just brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to kitchen paper to drain. Discard the oil when cool.
3. Put the peanuts and toasted tomato mixture into a food processor with the ginger, chillies, onions, lime leaves, palm sugar, lime juice, kecap manis, soy sauce and process until smooth adding more water if wished, for a thinner sauce.
Try not to reheat this peanut sauce as it has a tendency to separate. Serve with chicken satays or vegetables for Gado Gado or as a crudite dip, or with Asian spiced barbeque foods. The sweet underlaying flavour of the kaffiir lime leaves is sensational!