Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce

Ooh, I love having this little gem in my repertoire! And I encourage you to play with the proportions - more heat, more sweet, more coconutty chew - just tweak it until it becomes your own. I use this as a dip for broiled tofu, but you could toss it with some sturdy rice noodles, use it as a dip for a chicken or shrimp satay, or just eat it off the spoon... or any other lickable surface!

Vegan Thai Peanut Sauce

¾ C creamy peanut butter
¼ C lite coconut milk
1 ½ T water
1 ½ T lime juice
1 ½ T low-sodium soy or tamari sauce
½ T minced fresh ginger
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

1-3 T shredded coconut
1-3 T agave nectar
½ T hot sauce (I use hot sesame oil to complement the peanut flavor)
2-3 T chopped raw organic peanuts
2 T chopped fresh cilantro

In a food processor or blender, mix the peanut butter, coconut milk, water, lime juice, soy, ginger and garlic to make a smooth, creamy paste. Add shredded coconut to desired texture; add agave and hot sauce to desired taste. Mix in cilantro just before serving and top with chopped peanuts.