Thai Chicken and Vegetables with Cilantro Peanut Sauce

I am still figuring out how to best grow cilantro in the garden for an ongoing but not overwhelming supply. At the end of last week, suddenly it was all bolting and needing to be picked and used. So I made this curry, which is a lovely way to use quite a lot of cilantro at once. This recipe is very loosely adapted from one in Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons. The red peppers and onions came from Crabapple Farm. If you don't eat chicken, this is also perfectly good with tofu.

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts
1 1/2 cups cilantro, coarsely chopped
3-4 Tbsp canola or peanut oil, plus more for sautéing
1 Tbsp lime juice
1-2 tsp chili paste (or to taste)
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, in bite-sized cubes
1 large red pepper, diced (frozen is fine)
1 medium onion, sliced lengthwise

Combine the garlic, peanuts, cilantro, oil, lime juice, chili paste, and salt in a food processor and process until well combined. The sauce will be quite thick, almost more like a paste. Set aside.

Heat some oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes. Add the pepper and onion and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through. Add the sauce and stir to combine well. The cooking juices from the chicken and vegetables will serve to thin the sauce.

Serve over rice, preferably jasmine. Good with coconut rice (substitute 1 14-oz can of coconut milk for a 1 1/4 cups water when cooking the rice).

Serves about 4.

Variations: Substitute 1 lb thinly sliced steak for the chicken. Substitute cashews for the peanuts.