Region: Southeast Asia
Country: Indonesia (and neighboring countries)

Indonesian peanut sauce

Saus kacang (Indonesian)
Pindasaus/Satésaus (Dutch)

That is peanuts!

The recipe below is the simplest recipe for a peanut sauce. This recipe consists of three basic ingredients: peanut butter, kecap manis, and water! Kecap manis is a sweet soy sauce that can easily be made with soy sauce and palm sugar if it is not available. This peanut sauce can be flavored with chili peppers (dried, fresh or in the form of sambal), chopped peanuts, and dried Indonesian spices such as cumin, powdered lemongrass, powdered cilantro, ginger etc.

Saus kacang (peanut sauce), is a beloved condiment in Indonesian cuisine, celebrated for its rich, savory flavor and versatility. Made primarily from ground roasted peanuts, it often includes ingredients like garlic, shallots, chili, and kecap manis (sweetened soy sauce). The sauce is typically thick and aromatic, with a balance of sweetness, spiciness, and nuttiness that enhances a variety of dishes. It is a staple accompaniment to satay, gado-gado, and lontong, reflecting the deep culinary traditions of Indonesia.

The origins of saus kacang can be traced back to the influence of Javanese and Sundanese cultures, where peanuts are a significant crop. Historically, peanut sauce has been an integral part of festive and communal meals, symbolizing the abundance and diversity of Indonesian agriculture. Its preparation methods can vary, with some regions incorporating coconut milk or tamarind to add unique local flavors. This regional diversity in recipes underscores the sauce’s adaptability and cultural significance.

The Netherlands has a deep-rooted appreciation for peanut sauce, known locally as pindasaus or satésaus (sauce for satay). In contemporary Dutch cuisine, peanut sauce has been seamlessly integrated, just like other Indonesian foods like krupuk (kroepoek), kecap manis (ketjap manis) and sambal, reflecting a blend of Indonesian and Dutch culinary traditions. It is not only eaten with foods that feature Indonesian flavours, but also with snacks, fries (patatje oorlog for example), bread and a lot more. It is also found in snacks als croquettes (saté kroket) and bapao. Also in Suriname, pindasaus is widely eaten.

Selamat makan!

Peanut sauce

Recipe by Chef Franky Buz

0.0 from 0 votes

Cuisine: IndonesianDifficulty: Moderate

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

A simple satay sauce can be made with peanut butter, kecap manis, and water. Experiment with the thickness, creaminess, and color of your sauce by varying the ingredients. The kecap manis determines the color of your sauce, and water helps achieve the desired thickness. Add dried or fresh chili peppers for more spice. For a spicier version, add at least one of the dried spices listed below. Do you like a bit of crunch? Then also add crushed unsalted peanuts. Add coconut milk and lime juice for more freshness.

Ingredients

200 gr. or 2 tbs of peanut butter
handful kecap manis
2 water
Pinch of salt
Optional: Indonesian seasoning such as powdered cilantro (ketumbar), laos (galanga), ginger, cumin (jinten), lemongrass
Optional: crushed dried chili peppers or finely chopped fresh chili peppers
Optional: sambal ulek/oelek
Optional: coconut milk
Optional: lime juice
Optional: crushed peanuts

Directions

Cut the shallots and garlic very small and use a mortar or food processor to make a paste. If desired, also add the (dried) chili peppers at this stage.
Roast the peanuts in the pan over low heat without adding oil. Make sure the peanuts don’t burn.
Use the same pan and heat two tablespoons of peanut oil. Sauté the garlic/onion/chili mixture.

Add the spices: turmeric, ginger, coriander/cilantro seeds to the mixture to finish off your bumbu (paste). Stir well on medium heat.
Bruise the lemongrass stalk and add it to the pan together with the salam leaves and the kaffir lime leaves. Continue stirring over low heat to release the flavor and aromas.
Add the roasted peanuts and grated coconut and stir for 2.5 minutes over low heat. When the mixture is dry and the coconut has been thoroughly roasted (not burned), the serundeng is ready.
I recommend letting the serundeng cool in the pan and then putting the mixture in a sealable container.

Serundeng remains good for weeks, but does loose its crispiness over time.