Thai-Style Peanut Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

• 4 cloves fresh garlic
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger or bottled minced ginger
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp Asian (dark) sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes


1. Peel the garlic. With the blender on, drop the garlic cloves, one at a time, through the opening in the lid. Chop fine.


2.Pour the lime juice into the blender container. Stop the blender and add all the remaining ingredients, along with 1/2 cup water. Pulse on high speed until the ingredients are just combined, about 5 seconds.


3.Scrape down the sides of the blender container and pulse 3 or 4 more times. The sauce is now ready to use in recipes or as a dipping sauce, or it can be refrigerated or frozen for future use.

Note: Omit the red pepper flakes if serving young children.