Caprial's Spicy Peanut Soup

Adapted from Caprial's Soups & Sandwiches. Serve with balinese sambal (recipe below) and a sweet white wine.

2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp sesame oil
2 onions
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbs sambal oelek or chile sauce
1 tbs instant sour paste or tamarind pulp
2 tbs curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1 cup mirin or dry sherry
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 cups creamy peanut butter
2 (14 oz) cans coconut milk
1/4 cup palm sugar or honey
8 cups miso broth
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1lb Ground pork
1/4 cup chipped fresh cilantro, for garnish
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts for garnish


Heat the olive oil and sesame oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat until hot. Saute the onions, garlic, sambal oelek, instant sour paste, curry powder, cumin, and coriander until fragrant and the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the mirin, soy sauce, peanut butter, coconut milk, and palm sugar. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork, cook until it is well browned, and then drain the fat well.

Stir in the cream, vinegar and pork. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and adjust the flavor with additional sambal oelek, if desired.

Balinese Sambal

Makes 1 cup

1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and julienned*
1 anaheim pepper roasted, peeled, and seeded
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup toasted sweetened coconut
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1 tbs rice vinegar
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sweet soy sauce
1 tbs vegetable oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients except the salt and pepper in a bowl and toss together. Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.

**Preheat the broiler. Place the pepper on a baking sheet and broil, turning until the skin is evenly blistered and charred, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to cool. When it is cool enough to handle, peel off the skins, remove the stems, and wipe the seeds away. Do not rinse the pepper under running water because this washes away much of the roasted flavor.