I don't know what to call this but you need it. 
Ok so. This is incredibly simple but very life-changing, probably. I'm a really huge fan of sauces and condiments in general. Having them around makes it really simple to amp up any regular dinner. Grilled chicken and roasted veggies becomes special with a balsamic drizzle and some fresh herbs. Seared salmon and rice is amplified with pesto, that kind of thing. So this! This is a very garlicky, vegan green sauce with lime, lemongrass, and basil at the base. I hesitate to call it Thai, necessarily, but it goes GREAT with all types of far-east flavors, so there's that.
Hence, a basil green sauce instead of a Thai green sauce. Whatever it is, though, you definitely need to make a batch and drizzle it all over your LIFE for the next week or so.
You need! Basil, parsley, lime, olive oil, garlic, fresh ginger, lemongrass, and a jalapeno. I have this citrus basil in my yard that is SO good, but any kind of basil is fine! Same with lemongrass; I love the pre-mashed kind, but feel free to puree a bunch of fresh lemongrass if you're into that kind of thing. 
The method, obviously, is so simple. Basil leaves, parsley stems and leaves, everything else coarsely chopped or juiced into the blender. Start with a pinch of salt and add more later. 
Blend on HIGH for as long as you can manage to get a really smooth consistency, and that's it! 
Taste the mixture again and adjust the seasoning; add more of anything you'd like to taste more of. I left my jalapeno whole and didn't find the sauce to be too spicy at all, but you could use half or take the seeds and ribs out.
Add more salt or lime juice until the sauce is SUPER flavorful, and you're done! Like with most things, this is great served right away but almost better when it sits for awhile, the flavors combine so well AND it simplifies dinner-making if the sauce is done in advance. 
I'm thinking: broiled tilapia, rice made with coconut milk and chicken stock, and roasted carrots. Topped with this. 
Enjoy!
Recipe
Citrus Basil Green Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup parsley leaves and stems
- 1 cup basil leaves loosely packed
- 1 jalapeno cut into chunks (take out the seeds and ribs if you don't like a lot of spice)
- 1 ½ lime juiced
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon pureed lemongrass I buy mine in a tube
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Puree all ingredients in a blender until very smooth. Taste, and adjust the seasoning with more lime juice or salt.
- Serve with your favorite dinner for drizzling or dipping.
- Enjoy!
Julianne says
I made this to use as a veggie bowl sauce. Didn't have the lemongrass puree and it was still so delicious! Next time I'll make double to have for meals all week, it would go with anything!
Lindsay says
Yay, I'm so glad you liked it!