Serve this with Vietnamese spring rolls, or as a topping for steamed or stir-fried vegetables.
1/2 C peanut butter, preferably the kind with just peanuts and salt
1 T honey (if you use sweetened peanut butter, omit this)
1/2 C very hot water water
1/4 C + 2 T light vinegar (white, cider, or rice)
2 cloves garlic, grated with a Micro-plane or minced finely
1 T dark sesame oil
Pinch dried chili peppers, dash of cayenne, or 1 serrano chile, minced
Salt to taste
Mash the peanut butter, honey, and water in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. If you don’t eat it right away, the flavors meld, but it also gets spicier.
Makes about a cup.