Coriander and peanut “pesto”
coriander and peanut pasteLast week at my Farmer’s Market there were huge bunches of field grown coriander for sale at a ridiculously cheap price. I needed coriander, but wondered how on earth could I use such an enormous quantity before it went slimy in the fridge. I knew I’d find a way so handed over my $2.
This coriander unlike the hydroponically grown product was vigorous, long stemmed, large leaved and intensely flavoured. I used lots of fresh leaves in the stuffing of the bánh xèo I made last week and I topped a Lucknow style chicken biryani with a large handful freshly chopped, but still I had over 1/2 bunch remaining. In a light bulb moment I thought of Coriander and Peanut paste. I dare not call it pesto as the flavours are purely Asian, but I was however inspired by pesto Genovese.
My Peanut and Coriander paste began with peanuts chopped in the food processor with a large knob of ginger and a whole red chilli. After I had added the coriander, the fun began. Recipe development is all about tasting, I love this part. The pesto needed salt so I added fish sauce, I squeezed a fresh lime and added the juice for a kick of acidity, kecap manis ( sweet Indonesian soy,) contributed umami, then a little brown sugar balanced out the flavour. I added peanut oil until I had a thick dolloping consistency.
Fresh, lively and aromatic is the only way to describe the flavour of the paste I made. I would be a fabulous dressing for rice noodles, be wonderful with charred pork and delicious with steamed chicken. I pan fried some meaty fillets of barramundi then topped them with a generous dollop of the peanut and coriander paste. Served it on a bed of steamed Asian greens, dinner was on the table in 15 minutes.
This fabulous paste is set to become a regular in my kitchen. With the top surface sealed with oil, it will keep for a couple of weeks. I’m planning on serving the remainder as a dip with carrot, celery and cucumber sticks.
Coriander and Peanut Paste
20g peeled root ginger, roughly chopped
1 red chilli, roughly chopped
100g roasted salted peanuts
2 cups tightly packed washed and dried coriander leaves
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon kecap manis
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup peanut oil
Put the peanuts, chilli and ginger into the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped.
Add the coriander and process until finely chopped.
Add the sauces, sugar, garlic oil and lime juice and process into a paste. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
With the motor running add the peanut oil and process until the mixture is emulsified.
Spoon into a lidded container, pour a little oil over the surface to seal the paste against oxidisation and store in the fridge. Makes 1/12 cups, 375g
About ladyredspecs
29 comments on “Coriander and peanut “pesto””
Leave a comment
Creative Commons Copyright Licence
Please Pass the Recipe by Sandra Gay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Please Pass the Recipe 
India is famous for this 🙂 We call them ‘chutney’ and prepared at homes
LikeLike
The cross pollination of food and culture is making our world a very small (and interesting) place. Thanks for visiting…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes 🙂
LikeLike
this really sounds fabulous and so very tasty sandra! yum. great idea to use the coriander up too. i always end up with slimy bits of old herbs in my crisper, oozing out…. cheers sherry
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hate waste, it was a great solution
LikeLike
You have such a flair for flavor!
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw thanks Mae…
LikeLike
Lovely flavour profile in this pesto Sandra. Can imagine it would be fab with a variety of grilled meats, or scooped up as a chunky dip as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Margot we’re loving it for all sorts of purposes
LikeLike
Oh methinks this will be copied far and wide! Fabulous recipe! And for me it is ‘pesto’ or paste . . . . . am ‘funny’ that way . . . 🙂 ! Now to go find a big bunch of coriander since two dollars would not get me anywhere here . . .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Eha. We loved it, sometimes the cooking Gods are with you..
LikeLike
What a fabulous recipe Sandra!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love all of the elements of this pesto! Fabulous!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks it all came together beautifully
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw thanks x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely pesto ! Like your choice of ingredients in here, will try this version as a side for my idli or dosa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The flavour are reminiscent of Thai food but it would be delicious with idli
LikeLiked by 1 person
What an interesting flavor profile. I think it would be stupendous with noodles. Well done!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Ron, I think you’re right. Going to give it a try for lunch today
LikeLike
Oh, lovely. I make a coriander ‘chutney’ or ‘pesto’ (semantics!) with walnuts, but just having had satay last night (as I am back in the UK), peanuts seem pretty good here, too. Must give it a try.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I definitely had an Asian flavour profile in mind. Thrilled with the outcome
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bit envious about that coriander!
LikeLiked by 1 person
never seen anything like it in Vic 🙂
LikeLike
Delicious! I love coriander, and loved walking through entire fields of it in India. I could use this with/on anything. I could probably just eat it by the handful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I meant *spoonful….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Darya It’s rare to see field grown coriander here but this is so good I’ll be buying more
LikeLike
Here in Northern France I like to drive to the farm to pick vegetables, and they have coriander in the field for a short while. The rest of the year it’s the hot house grown kind, still tasty… but not the same.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We call it chutney 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
With nuts? I didn’tknow that, thanks
LikeLike