I love Peanut Sauce, a creamy, nutty, spicy hit of deliciousness that is far to often forgotten in our house. Mostly cause I forget how much I love it. Most days, when I can remember how much I love it, I make it from scratch.
A little peanut butter, water, ginger, soy sauce, chilies and seasoning, that's all it really takes, not hard to make but some days (like today) I am lazy.
Maybe it's the weather or the fact that I have been working a lot but I wanted a quick delicious hit of peanut sauce that wouldn't take more time than frying up some tofu and cooking some rice. But which one should I choose?
Rapunzel, is a well known and established company, it has been around since the 70's producing fantastic organic products with a corporate vision that not only to I support but believe strongly in.
Sanchon, is an organic company that has a donkey as a mascot. (which I loved) And the truth is, that was all I knew about the company, further research tells me that they have been around since the 90's and have a broad range of products. And like Rapunzel had a corporate vision that I support and believe in.
First let us establish what it is I am looking for in a Peanut Sauce. It must have a taste of peanuts, a rich creaminess and lastly must have a little spice. Not overly complicated.
Rapunzel went with more of a spiced version with fenugreek, star-anise, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon to hilight just a few of the spice that they added to their sauce. The consistency was good with a rich, thick(ish) tomato based sauce and the flavor was really great, it worked really great with tofu and I could add a few different ingredients and spices to easily make completely new flavors and dishes. While it wasn't without a spiciness, it was more of a gentle warming of the mouth than anything else.
Sanchon went with a much shorter list of ingredients, instead concentrating on bit more on a coconut and peanut flavor combo. The consistency was fantastic, thick, tomato based and rich that when fried with the tofu easily coated the tofu with its thick, goodness. The flavor is fantastic as well, a very pleasant level of heat, so even those that aren't huge fans of spice can deal with it but what stands tall is the peanut flavor. There is only about 2% more peanuts in Sanchon's peanut sauce but that 2% looms large over the overall taste, with a excellent peanut taste. There is also a lot of coconut in there sauce, which doesn't dominate the peanut flavor, it simply adds a bit of complexity to the sauce.
Winner - Sanchon Peanut Sauce.
Reason: Like I said at the beginning when I have a peanut sauce, I want that peanut flavor to be pronounced, a leading taste that doesn't take a back seat to any other spice that might be added. I liked the thickness of Sanchon's sauce and the more predominant hint of heat.
I don't get paid be either Rapunzel or Sanchon my views are just that my views and while I do have preferences