Spicy Szechwan Peanut Sauce

This recipe is adapted from a recipe of the same name in Barbara Tropp’s The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking, a wonderful cookbook that Christopher gave me many Christmases ago.

*Assemble Ingredients (6 June 2023)

This is a great cookbook except directions like "about 10 large cloves garlic" and "about 2/3 bunch fresh coriander leaves and upper stems" are not helpful. Sure, this kind of cooking, unlike baking, is "to taste" but....   A visual at left (1 tightly packed cup corriander) of what I use.

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, mince (pulse so as not to pulverize):

10 large cloves garlic *see above 

Approximately 2/3 bunch coriander leaves and upper stems *see above

Add:

½ c peanut butter
½ c + 1 T thin soy sauce
5 T sugar [I use 1 T]
½ t rice wine or sherry [I omit]
1 –2 T hot chili oil [to taste]**

Process about one minute, until homogenized. Given the approximateness of the ingredients, if the sauce is more liquid than I like, I add a bit more peanur butter. Store at least 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Note this sauce will keep several days when refrigerated in a covered container. It also freezes well.


CHICKEN WITH SPICY SZECHWAN PEANUT SAUCE

Per Serving

1/2 - 1 cooked chicken breast

Place on top of bed of:

1 baby bok choy, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2/3 c bean sprouts
1/3 c cucumber, coarsely chopped

Top with Szechwan Peanut Sauce

PASTA WITH SPICY SZECHWAN PEANUT SAUCE
(For my favorite see JUNE 2013 VARIATIONS below)

Serves 4 - 6

Cook according to package instructions:

16 ounces  fusilli, thin spaghetti, linguine or other pasta [I use Rao's fusilli]

Meanwhile sauté for 3-4 minutes or until scallions are tender:

1 ½ t olive oil
1-2 bunches of scallions, cut diagonally in 1-inch lengths

NOTE: When cooking scallions I often separate the white ends from the green and cook the white part longer (full 3-4 minutes) and the green less (1-2 minutes)

Drain the pasta, add scallions and:

1 large waxless cucumber, coarsely chopped

Toss with enough sauce to thoroughly coat the pasta, about ½ cup.

June 2013 VARIATIONS: I've started adding the scallions uncooked and sliced in 1/4"-inch lengths or less, also fresh shelled peas or snap peas cut on the diagonal and/or red,orange and yellow peppers cut in bite size pieces (photo left) Also occasionally poached chicken breast cut in small chunks (third photo left) NOTE: For the boat, I often cook the fusilli a day or two ahead, toss with sauce to coat, cool and store in refrigerator/ice box. Right before serving I prepare and add the veggies.

 April 2014 VARIATION:  Saute ~ 4-6 ounces thinly sliced chicken and white ends of ~4 scallions in 1 t  chili oil and 1 t sesame seed oil (adjust ratio according to desired hotness).  Note:  to minimize chicken sticking to the wok, heat wok first, then add oil and heat, then add chicken.  When chicken is cooked through, add two small, thinly sliced heads of bok choy and green ends of scallions, cut diagonally into 3/4 inch pieces.  Cook, stirring constantly until bok choy is just barely wilted.

Meanwhile, cook 6 ounces whole wheat thin spaghetti until barely done.  Drain, toss with veggies in wok and add peanut sauce to taste.   (Serves 2-3)

January 2014 VARIATION: Sautee ~6 medium shrimp per person in a mixture of olive and sesame chili oil (choose your hotness!).  Add cooked shrimp to pasta that has been tossed with scallions and peanut sauce per instructions above.  Top (optional) with chopped hot and/or sweet peppers and cliantro.

August 2026 VARIATION: Add frozen cooked shrimp that have been thawed in the refrigerator overnight, carefully dried and tossed with a bit of the sauce to the JUNE 2013 VARIATION pasta.

** June 2017: All chili oil is not equal.  Some brands are much hotter than others; be sure if you change brands (or even open a new bottle) to go by taste not previously used measurements!

Reviewed 6/20/2017

Revised 6/9/2023 see *

Revised 8/30/26 quantities clarified, variations revised