Makes about 4 cups
PREP TIME
15 minutes
COOKING TIME
1 hour
TOTAL TIME
1 hour 15 minutes
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ white onion, diced
½ cup coarsely chopped carrots (1 medium carrot)
1 plum tomato, chopped
¼ cup finely diced celery (1 rib)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
1 bay leaf
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 bird’s-eye chile, seeded and minced (1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup unsweetened, creamy peanut butter
4 cups vegetable stock
Heat the oil in a 4-quart pot over medium heat, add the cumin, and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly. The cumin will become very aromatic and a few shades darker.
Add the onion, carrots, tomato, celery, garlic, bay leaf, cilantro, chile, salt, and lemon juice, stirring to coat the vegetables in the toasted cumin oil. Sauté until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Once the tomato paste is incorporated, add the peanut butter, working it into the vegetables with a little stock, if needed. Cook until the oil separates from the peanut butter, about 5 minutes.
Add the stock and stir, making sure to bring up all of the tomato paste and peanut butter from the bottom of the pot so it is well blended. Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook, stirring, for 45 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce in the pot until smooth. Season with salt to taste.