Grilled Satay with Peanut Sauce

prep time:: 0 about 35 minutes, active
total time:: 0 variable

Serves 4

Satay or sate is a dish consisting of chunks or slices of dice-sized meat (chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, etc.) on bamboo skewers (although the more authentic version uses skewers from the midrib of the coconut leaf). These are grilled or barbecued over a wood or charcoal fire, then served with various spicy seasonings. Satay may have originated in Java, Indonesia, but it is also popular in many other Southeast Asian countries, such as: Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, as well as in The Netherlands which was influenced through its former colonies. Satays are often served during traditional celebration feasts in Asian cultures. For this satay recipe the chicken pieces are larger, so that they remain juicy and tender. Served with a complex, multipurpose peanut sauce this satay is one you will make for celebrations of your own with fair frequency.

ingredients

Thai Peanut Sauce:

3 small dried red chiles, stemmed and seeded, or roughly 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 shallots, peeled
1 lemongrass stalk*, white part only, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons nam pla (Asian fish sauce)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts or crunchy peanut butter

Grilled Satay:

3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 shallots, peeled
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon tamarind pulp**, dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water, or 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce mixed with 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons nam pla (Asian fish sauce)
1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast, boneless beef sirloin, or boneless pork shoulder or loin, cut into 1-inch cubes
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Lime wedges (optional)
Wood or metal skewers

directions

1
1. For the peanut sauce, combine chiles or red pepper flakes, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, and ground turmeric in a food processor and grind until fairly smooth, scraping the sides as necessary.
2
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the processed mixture until fragrant, about one minute.
3
3. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.
4
This recipe yields 2 cups of peanut sauce. The sauce may be made ahead and stored, covered and refrigerated, for up to one week. When ready to use, gently rewarm the sauce over low heat in a small sauce pan.
5
4. For the grilled satay, if you are using wood skewers, soak them in water to cover for at least 30 minutes.
6
5. Place first 9 ingredients in a food processor and process until completely smooth, adding 1-2 tablespoons of water if the mixture is too thick to process. Stop the blades, scrap down the sides and stir the mixture once or twice during processing.
7
6. In a large bowl combine the processed mixture with the cubed meat, stirring to coat the meat with the mixture. Set aside. The seasoned meat may be done ahead and refrigerated, covered for up to one day before cooking.
8
7. Start the charcoal grill, wood fire, or preheat a gas grill or broiler.
9
8. While the grill or broiler is preheating, thread the meat onto the skewers, leaving 3 inches at the end and slight gaps between the cubes of meat.
10
9. Grill or broil the skewered meat for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned all over.
11
Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges and serve immediately with warm Thai Peanut Sauce.

notes

*Fresh lemongrass may be found in the produce section of your grocery store. **Tamarind, a sweet-sour fruit indigenous to Africa and other climates where it is warm year-round, can be found in pulp form in Asian groceries and specialty food stores.

Source: The Best Recipes in the World