FoundationsIndonesiaComponent 10 of 24

Bumbu Kacang (Indonesian Peanut Sauce)

Bumbu Kacang / Saus Kacang

Java

Bumbu kacang in a small bowl: a thick red-brown Indonesian peanut sauce with an oil sheen and crushed peanuts on top.

About this component

The warm, spiced peanut sauce that dresses gado-gado and Javanese satay — deeper and more aromatic than its neighbors' versions, built on fried peanuts and a fragrant spice base.

Component facts

Yield
About 2 cups (475 ml)
Prep
25 minutes
Heat
Medium

Development draft. This is an untested development recipe from the cookbook project. It has not been kitchen-tested, and the quantities and timings are the author’s working draft rather than a verified result.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (150 g) roasted peanuts, ground
  • 4 red chiles
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 shallots
  • 1 tsp (5 g) shrimp paste (optional)
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) palm sugar
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) tamarind concentrate
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) kecap manis
  • 1–1.5 cups (240–360 ml) water
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. Pound or blend chiles, garlic, shallots and shrimp paste to a paste.
  2. Fry the paste in oil until fragrant and darkened.
  3. Add ground peanuts, palm sugar, tamarind, kecap manis and water.
  4. Simmer, stirring, 8–10 minutes to a thick, pourable sauce; season with salt.

Notes from the book

Balancing
Sweet-savory and nutty with tamarind lift; loosen to coat, not clump.
Substitutions
Sunflower-seed butter for a peanut-free version (label); omit shrimp paste for pescatarian-free.
Storage and food safety
Refrigerate up to 5 days; reheat with water. Contains peanuts (major allergen).

The Complete Edition

Bumbu Kacang (Indonesian Peanut Sauce) sits in the foundations

The book carries this component alongside the other twenty-three, the twenty-seven pantry studies, and the Indonesia chapter it belongs to.

In review with Amazon KDP

Both editions have been submitted to Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and are currently in review. Submitted prices are $9.99 for the kindle edition and $49.99 for the paperback. Neither is on sale yet, and prices are as submitted rather than final.

The Indonesia chapter

Imagery is produced with generative AI tools and reviewed by the author. It is illustrative, not documentary photography of a finished dish. This recipe is a development draft and is not described as tested. How these images were made.