FoundationsIndonesiaComponent 10 of 24
Bumbu Kacang (Indonesian Peanut Sauce)
Bumbu Kacang / Saus Kacang

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
- Pound or blend chiles, garlic, shallots and shrimp paste to a paste.
- Fry the paste in oil until fragrant and darkened.
- Add ground peanuts, palm sugar, tamarind, kecap manis and water.
- 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).
Pairs with in this book
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.