This Dip is a Crown Jewel in My Recipe Repertoire

First let me say, I did not create this recipe. It’s from Bon Appetit’s Basically vertical. I don’t know if I am even capable of making a recipe. But! I can follow a recipe and eat like an absolute pro. This curried peanut dip has become such a beloved recipe, I have a container of it in my fridge at all times. It’s perfect for me, a person who mostly works from home and likes to have one large meal a day, and sort of graze for the rest of the time. This dip is perfect with anything, and once you have the ingredients stocked in your cupboards it’s super simple to whip up. Oh, and the best part? It only gets better over time. Fresh off the stove it’s soupy, but leave it in the fridge overnight and it’s perfect the next day. And the day after that, somehow MORE perfect. Anyway, here’s what you need:

Only realizing now there’s no honey in this photo. Use your imagination.

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1/4 cup jarred red curry paste

1 14.5-oz. can coconut milk

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

3 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. fish sauce

1 Tbsp. honey

Kosher salt

Some notes from me:

• A whole jar of red curry paste is just over 1/4 cup. I haven’t tried the recipe just tossing a whole jar in, but I’d be interested to try it just to make this easy recipe even easier. I’m sure they make jars of red curry paste larger that this one, but I’ve only ever found this size (I’ve also only ever looked at Target and Whole Foods).

• Once you buy a bottle of rice vinegar and fish sauce, you’re good for awhile. But I’d buy multiple jars of red curry paste and cans of coconut milk if you know you’re going to keep making this. I mean, ditto peanut butter and honey, but I always have those around. Costco has the best natural peanut butter for the best price, FYI.

Now for the directions (If you want to print this recipe, go to the source, Basically):

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium.

Add curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, until paste begins to stick to bottom of saucepan and is very fragrant, 2–3 minutes.

Whisk in coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture turns darker in color and is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in peanut butter, vinegar, fish sauce, and honey. Season to taste with salt; it should be well seasoned since the things you are dipping in it may not be (i.e., boiled eggs, cukes, etc.).

Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight portable container and chill.

Again, some tips from me, a person who has made this many, many times:

I do a sort of half-assed mise en place for making this. I pre measure the peanut butter and just keep it in the measuring cup till it’s go time. I also put the vinegar, fish sauce, and honey in a little dish whisked together. You can actually prep these things while the curry paste, and later coconut milk are in the pan doing their thing. Also, I have never noticed the curry paste becoming “very fragrant” or the mixture turning darker in color after adding the coconut milk and letting it reduce. If I’m doing it wrong, it still comes out tasting great, so no big deal.

I typically eat this dip with a selection of baby carrots, sliced cucumbers, and these sweet potato crackers from Trader Joe’s. I’ve also done sweet potato fries (fabulous) and I’m thinking soon I’ll try with some leftover chicken breast. I’ve also been experimenting with freezing half of the dip, because I am only one person and I am trying to avoid eating dip for 6 meals straight. I haven’t defrosted my freezer stash yet, but I can’t imagine it will be bad, right? This dip is incapable of being bad. It’s PERFECT.

One more thing! Because of *gestures broadly* all THIS, it’s not the time to be hopping to the store to get nothing but a bottle of fish sauce. If you have all these ingredients, great! If not, add them to your next big shopping list. I recently placed a grocery order for pickup and got 4 cans of coconut milk, because I knew I’d need to make this dip at least four times before the next time I needed a car full of groceries. Think smart, don’t go out unless necessary, and stay safe!