Malaysian Satay

 

Satay referred to small pieces of  meat that is seasoned,skewered and grilled. The grilled meat is then served with peanut sauce and condiments like cucumbers and red onions.

Meats can be chicken,beef, mutton and pork. It is very popular in Malaysia,Indonesia, Singapore,as well as in other South East Asian countries.

The meat is sweet,salty,and slightly smokey flavour because it is usually grilled with charcoal or charred on a griddle.Nowadays,people even grilled inside the oven.

We grilled the satay while we barbeque that fine day.It may look that hard to make Satay,but if you really put your heart to make,then you can surely do it and found that it is not hard at all.Even if it is hard,you'll be bound to enjoy having your own self made Chicken Satay at home. Since it is very smokey,we grilled it outside the house in our car porch.Our chicken satay yields 29 sticks .

LET'S MAKE SATAY;

INGREDIENTS;

1 kg bonesless and skinless chicken breast or thigh( thigh is preferred)

1 cucumber,cut to wedges

1 big red onion,cut to wedges

Some bamboo skewers,soaked in cold water for 2 hours

Oil for basting

SATAY CHICKEN MARINADE;

3 tbsps oil

2 stalks lemongrass-white parts only

4-5 cloves garlics

5 shallots

2 tsp tumeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsps sugar/gula melaka

METHOD;

1.  Blend all the marinade ingredients in a food processor.Add a little bit of water to help with the blending when necessary.

2.  Cut chicken into long strips or cubes. Marinate chicken with the spice paste for 5 hours or preferably overnight.

3. Thread chicken pieces onto the bamboo skewers 3-4 pieces.

4.  Grill the chicken satay on an electric barbeque grill or open fire. Brush and baste oil on the satay after 2-3 minutes,turning to the other sides and brushing and basting with oil too on the other sides till nicely charred on the surface.

5.  Serve with peanut sauce,cucumbers and onions. Enjoy!

PEANUT SAUCE RECIPE;

1 cup roasted peanuts,unsalted

1 tbsps tamarind pulps

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

54 g gula melaka/brown sugar

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tbsp sweet soy sauce

SPICE PASTE;

8 dried red chillies,deseed,soak in warm water

3 cloves garlic

4 medium  red onions

1 stalk serai/lemongrass,use white part only

2.5 cm lengkuas/galangal

1 tsp fennel seeds/jintan manis

METHOD;

1.  Ground peanuts in a food processor or mortar and pestle,the old fashioned way.

2.  Soak tamarind with 1/4 warm water for 15 mins. Squeeze and extract juice out.

3.  Chop spice ingredients small and bring to the food proccessor to blend until very fine.Add water when necessary if it's dry and hard to blend.

4.  In a saucepan,heat up the oil and add in the spice paste. Add in the remaining top part serai or lemongrass.Oil will comes out and the paste is aromatic.Add in the rest of the ingredients. Peanuts,tamarind juice,water,salt,gula melaka,coriander powder,and sweet soy sauce. Stir to combine well.Turn heat to low.Stir continouly until it thickens a bit and turn off heat.Dish it up and serve with peanut sauce.

Enjoy!