Ingredients

• 1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon packed palm or dark brown sugar
• 2 to 3 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
• 8 to 10 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot (about 1 large)
• 2 fresh Thai or serrano chiles (2 to 3 inches; preferably red) including seeds, thinly sliced crosswise

Instructions

1. Finely grind 3 tablespoons peanuts in a food processor along with sugar. Finely chop remaining tablespoon peanuts by hand.
2. Stir together curry paste (to taste) and 6 tablespoons water until paste is dissolved.
3. Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, shallot, and chiles, stirring, until golden, about 4 minutes. Add ground peanut mixture and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in curry mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in chopped peanuts.
4. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then thin with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to desired consistency.