Southeast Asian Pesto Recipe

This Southeast Asian pesto recipe makes a super easy Asian inspired Italian style pesto that you can combine with pastas and noodles, use as a salad dressing (potato salad is perfect), serve with barbecue meats, or spread onto bruschetta, banh mi and num pang. It can be made in a mortar and pestle or in a food processor if you're in a hurry.

Prep Time15

Cook Time0

Total Time15

Course: Condiment, Sauce

Cuisine: Asian

Servings:

Calories: 323kcal

Author: Lara Dunston

Equipment

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil extra virgin for a greener taste
¼ cup neutral oil we use soybean oil
1 garlic clove peeled and crushed
2 kaffir lime leaves finely chopped
2 fresh lemongrass stalks young leaves, finely chopped
2 cups basil leaves Thai or Italian, fresh
2 cups coriander leaves fresh
⅓ cup white sesame seeds
1 tsp salt OR 1 tsp quality fish sauce or to taste

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Finely chop the kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass stalks to ensure they break down completely when you pound them in the mortar and pestle or blend them in the food processor.
Wash your basil and coriander and remove the leaves from the stalks at the last minute.
In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic until mashed, add the chopped kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass stalks and pound until crushed, add the sesame seeds, oils and salt (or fish sauce) and pound into a paste, then add the fresh basil and coriander leaves and continue to pound until everything is well combined.
OR, in a food processor, blend the garlic, chopped kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass stalks, sesame seeds, oils and salt (or fish sauce) into a paste until you have a pesto consistency, then add the fresh basil and coriander and continue to pulse until well combined.
Use immediately before it discolours or scoop it into a jar, pour a thin layer of oil on top to cover the pesto, then seal and refrigerate until ready for use.
With oil on top it should last from a few days to up to a week refrigerated.

Nutrition