Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 50 g shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 15 g garlic, peeled
- 10 g red bird's eye chilies, stemmed
- 15 g lemongrass, tender inner white part only, finely sliced
Base and Liquids
- 200 g roasted unsalted peanuts, skinless
- 200 ml coconut milk, full fat, well shaken
- 100 ml water
- 15 ml peanut oil
Seasoning
- 30 ml kecap manis
- 30 g palm sugar, finely grated or chopped
- 15 g tamarind paste
- 5 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 128 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 239 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 154 mg
- Calcium
- 16 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 31 mg
- Phosphorus
- 63 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 1.9 mg
- Folate
- 16 mcg
- Water
- 20 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the roasted peanuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. The texture should resemble coarse sand, not smooth peanut butter. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Without washing the food processor, add the chopped shallots, garlic, red chilies, and sliced lemongrass. Process until a smooth aromatic paste forms, adding a splash of water if necessary to keep the blades moving.
Heat the peanut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat (around 175 C / 350 F). Add the aromatic paste and saute continuously until fragrant and the raw smell dissipates, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir the ground peanuts into the saucepan with the cooked paste, cooking for 1 minute to toast the nuts slightly.
Pour in the coconut milk, water, kecap manis, palm sugar, tamarind paste, and salt. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently at around 85 C / 185 F, stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from scorching, until the sauce thickens and a thin layer of deep red oil floats to the surface, about 10 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool slightly. The sauce will continue to thicken as it rests. Adjust consistency with a tablespoon of warm water if it becomes too stiff.
Chef's Notes
- Authentic Bumbu Kacang relies on fresh roasted peanuts rather than commercial peanut butter. This creates a beautifully rustic, slightly gravelly texture that clings perfectly to grilled meats.
- The visible separation of oil at the end of cooking (known as 'pecah minyak') is highly desirable in Southeast Asian curries and sauces, indicating the spices have been cooked thoroughly.
- Kecap manis is an essential Indonesian ingredient that provides a syrupy texture, deep mahogany color, and molasses-like sweetness that cannot be perfectly replicated by regular soy sauce.
- Tamarind provides crucial acidity to cut through the richness of the peanuts and coconut milk. If using fresh lime juice as a substitute, stir it in off the heat at the very end to prevent the coconut milk from curdling.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container. Sauce will thicken significantly when chilled; thin with warm water before serving.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in ice cube trays or portioned containers for easy thawing.
Reheating: Warm gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water or coconut milk to restore the original consistency.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is too thick or cement-like
Cause: Over-reduced during simmering or cooled too much
Fix: Whisk in warm water or coconut milk 15ml at a time over low heat until the desired consistency is reached
Prevention: Simmer gently and monitor the consistency, remembering it thickens as it cools
Sauce is completely broken and greasy
Cause: Boiled too vigorously or peanuts were over-processed into oil
Fix: Whisk in 15ml of warm water vigorously off the heat to help re-emulsify the sauce slightly, though some oil separation is traditional and desirable
Prevention: Maintain a gentle simmer and process peanuts only until coarse
Sauce tastes bitter
Cause: Aromatics or peanuts were burned during the sauteing or toasting phase
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Keep heat moderate and stir constantly when cooking the paste
Cultural Context
Bumbu Kacang (peanut sauce) is a cornerstone of Indonesian cuisine, introduced after peanuts were brought to the archipelago by Portuguese and Spanish merchants in the 16th century. It is incredibly versatile, serving as the definitive accompaniment for sate (skewered meats), the dressing for gado-gado (blanched vegetable salad), and a key component in dishes like ketoprak and pecel.
