On 11 Dec 2005 22:17:02 -0600, "Bob Terwilliger"
> replied:

>Clay wrote:
>
>> I just made an "asian pesto" based an a recipe I got from _Asian
>> Ingredients, A guide to the Foodstuffs of China, Japan, Korea, Thailand,
>> and Vietnam_ by Bruce Cost. Wow! It is *really* good.
>>
>> 1 1/2 cups Asian basil leaves, tighly packed -- I used Thai basil, bai
>> horapha
>> 1/4 cup Asian mint leaves, tightly packed -- what's "Asian" mint?
>> 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, tightly packed
>> 1 cup peanut oil
>> 1/2 cup raw peanuts -- It takes some time to remove the peanuts from the
>> shell and remove the papery skin
>> 2 small fresh green chiles -- I used 3 Thai prik ki nu, see:
>>
>> http://www.panix.com/~clay/cookbook/...cgi?prik-ki-nu
>> 4 large garlic cloves
>> 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
>> 1 teaspoon sugar
>> 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice -- I juiced a whole lemon
>>
>> Combine the herbs in a bowl and set aside.
>>
>> Heat oil in a small skill until nearly smoking, then remove from the heat
>> and add the peanuts. Allow to sit until lightly browned. Remove the nuts
>> with a slotted spoon and drain, reserving the oil.
>>
>> Put the peanuts in a food processor or blender and blend to a rough paste.
>> Add the chiles, ginger, and garlic, and continue to blend. Add the herbs
>> and a little of the reserved peanut oil, and continue to blend. Add the
>> salt, sugar, and lemon juice, and blend until the herbs are very finely
>> minced.
>>
>> Note: The peanuts, garlic, and ginger didn't mix well in the blender.
>> After I added the herbs and some oil, everything mixed well.
>>
>> Did I say this pesto is *really* good?
>>
>> I have some fresh Chinese noodles I'm going to cook later today to serve
>> with this pesto.
>
>
>It does sound good, but it would take me FOREVER to work my way through a
>quart of pesto, Asian or otherwise! And I'm guessing it probably doesn't
>keep all that well, either.
>
>Got me speculating, though: I wonder how it would be with macadamia nuts and
>oil in place of the peanuts and peanut oil.
>
Good enough to experiment with perhaps?

The Ranger