1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup beef broth or water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 cup finely diced red onion
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 pounds lean ground beef
Hot sauce to taste
6 large hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together coconut milk, hot sauce, peanut butter, beef broth, lime juice, brown sugar, curry paste and fish sauce until smooth and evenly combined. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté onion in canola oil for 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add garlic and ginger, and continue cooking for 2 minutes longer, or until garlic is soft.
Add beef and cook 5-7 minutes or until cooked through, breaking up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Stir in the stir fry sauce, and cook for about 5-10 minutes longer, or or until sauce thickens up. Remove from heat.
To assemble the sloppy joes, arrange bottom buns on serving plates. Spoon filling onto the buns, dividing evenly between the plates. Garnish with a sprinkle of cilantro and green onion, then finish with the top halves of the buns. Serve immediately with fresh cucumber salad or Asian-style coleslaw.