I first developed this spicy pesto recipe out of desperation as to what to do with an abundance of end-of-the-season Thai basil. (It freezes wonderfully.) Now it's one of our summer staples—especially now that Noemi loves being in on the action. Get creative with this flavorful pesto recipe. Rub it on chicken and fish, mix it into rice noodles, stir-fry some tofu and spicy greens. If you don't have a mortar and pestle—or don't want to use yours—just whip it up in a food processor, drizzling in extra lime juice and a bit of water if you need liquid to process.
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 Thai chiles, dried
- sea salt, to taste
- 1/3 cup peanuts
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 packed cups Asian basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
- In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chiles to a paste with a tiny pinch of salt. Then add peanuts and sugar, and pound to incorporate. Handful by handful, add the basil and pulverize completely in between additions. Stir in fish sauce, peanut oil and lime juice.
Servings: 8
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