Title: Nuoc Leo (Peanut Sauce)
Categories: Vietnamese Condiment Ceideburg
Yield: 1 Servings

1		Clove garlic, sliced
1	tb	Vegetable oil
1	sm	Piece of pork liver (see note below), minced
1	tb	Ground pork
1	ts	Tomato paste
1/4	c	Tuong
1/2	c	Water
1 1/2	ts	Peanut butter
1	tb	Granulated sugar
1 1/2	tb	Sesame seeds
10		Roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped [I use unsalted Planter's
		Peanuts.]
		Thin strips of hot pepper for garnish

I prefer the following version. It's a bit more complex, but one of the ingredients might be a bit hard to find++tuong, a kind of soy bean paste used in Vietnam. A good Vietnamese market will have it. Using medium heat, fry the garlic in the oil. Add the liver and pork. Lower the heat and add the tomato paste; stir and add the tuong. Stir again and add the water and peanut butter. Raise the heat to medium and add the sugar. Boil for 1 minute and transfer to a bowl.

Add the sesame seeds to a medium-hot frying pan, stirring constantly until browned. This should take 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sesame seeds to the nuoc leo, along with the chopped peanuts.

The sauce can be garnished with thin strips of hot pepper.

NOTE: Beef or chicken liver can be substituted, but pork liver is preferred. The piece should be the size of a large chicken liver.

From "The Classic Cuisine of Vietnam", Bach Ngo and Gloria Zimmerman, Barron's, 1979.

Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; March 27 1991.

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