Amazing Asian-Inspired Aioli

I love having easy, but unique freezer appetizers handy for quick sides for weekday dinners. This week I bought Goya’s Fried Plantains. What I love THREE things about these gems.

1. They are Gluten Free!
2. There is ONE ingredient – Plantains
3. They fit in with a Paleo/Whole Food/Vegan diet plan

I usually serve guacamole with my fried plantains but, yep, you guessed it…no guacamole or avocados in the house. I didn’t panic. Sometimes I do, so this was a step for me. I decided to hit the fridge and dig deep.

I was inspired by the many appetizers I have eaten over the years at restaurants. So many come with a deliciously inspired aioli – Don’t get intimidated by the fancy word. Aioli is, simply, a mayonnaise seasoned with garlic in its most basic form. Restaurant and home chefs have taken this simple sauce to new culinary heights over the years. Basically, it’s mayonnaise flavored with ANYTHING you desire!

My version is Asian inspired because my family enjoys those flavors at the dinner table. However you can easily substitute other seasonings to compliment your own favorite cuisine: Greek, Italian, Mexican, our Spanish inspired.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Mayonnaise
• 3 Tbs. Sweet Chili Sauce (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 2 tsp. Sriracha (Trader Joe’s brand)
• 3 Tbs. Milk (this thins out the mayonnaise)
• 1 tsp. Ground Ginger (I used squeezable – this is ALWAYS in my kitchen)
• 1 Tbs. Cilantro (Chopped)
• Salt/Pepper to taste (I found I didn’t need any)

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl until combined.
2. Transfer to a serving dish or storage container (can be made ahead), and enjoy!

I served this with the fried plantains but this sauce is so BOSS it works well with a variety of food.

• Egg roll dip
• Sauce for inside rice paper/spring rolls
• Grab a rotisserie chicken and add this for a quick chicken salad with some chopped cashews and scallions.
• Sushi
• Asian inspired fries
• Sandwich/burger spread

You get my point. The return on investment with the time it takes to make this delicious sauce is obvious!

Enjoy,

Stacey