Nuoc Leo (Peanut Sauce)

Recipe Instructions 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 (like Japanese miso). 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.