A Miscellaneous Mixture is the second dictionary definition of one of my favorite local dishes here. The first dictionary definition better explains this dish as a 'vegetable salad' with 'a spicy peanut sauce.' It is a miscellaneous mixture of vegetables, mostly green, of which I did not often eat in the States, but with the delicious peanut sauce I would probably eat almost anything (of the food variety that is). This dish is served warm, usually without rice which is rare for most dishes here. I finally learned how to make it from a friend of ours. It turned out to be quite simple considering it is from scratch; I even had to roast the peanuts myself! So if you are feeling adventurous here is the recipe and some notes, enjoy!
A Miscellaneous Mixture
(all measurements are approximate because my friend didn't measure with anything except her taste buds)
2 cups roasted peanuts (if using salted peanuts decrease salt later)
5 shallots (or cloves of shallots, never used before living here), cut in half
3 garlic cloves, cut in half
1/2 inch ginger root
1/3 cup brown sugar (which here is actually palm sugar and literally is called 'red sugar')
1 Tbls salt
water until desired thickness (about that of pancake batter)
chili pepper (I omitted as it adds heat more than flavor)
Steamed vegetables of choice. I used watercress, bean sprouts, yard long green beans, and a few carrots.
Hard boiled eggs, sliced
Tofu - dusted with flour and pan fried
1.) Fry the shallots, garlic and ginger in oil until fragrant and softened.
2.) Blend peanuts, shallots, garlic, and ginger in a blender or food processor.
3.) Combine blended mixture, sugar, salt and water in a medium sauce pan. Heat until well combined and desired consistency and flavor is obtained (I know this is difficult if you don't know how it is to taste, so I'll try to paint a picture. The sauce is thick and course, but will run off a spoon. It tastes like peanuts with additional seasonings, which I could not have listed from just tasting, but the ginger is key. It is sweat, but not overwhelmingly. Every time I order it at a restaurant the spiciness is different, so omitting the chili pepper really didn't change the flavor for me.)
4.) Place the vegetables and tofu on a dish. Pour sauce over the top and place sliced eggs on side/top.
Enjoy a taste of our side of the planet!
