← Nouns Cooking · Malaysian & Singaporean

Ingredients

• 800 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into thin 2–3 cm strips
• 2 Lemongrass, white part sliced; keep the tops for basting
• 4 Shallot, peeled
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 cm piece fresh turmeric (or 1 tsp ground), peeled
• 1 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground fennel
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for basting
• 10 Dried chillies, snipped, seeds removed, soaked in hot water
• 4 Shallot, peeled
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 Lemongrass, white part only, sliced
• 2 cm piece Galangal, sliced
• ½ tsp belacan (shrimp paste) (optional)
• 100 ml Vegetable oil
• 200 g roasted peanuts, coarsely ground
• 400 ml Water
• 1½ tbsp Tamarind paste
• 60 g palm sugar or brown sugar
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 Cucumber, cut into chunks
• 1 Red onion, cut into chunks

Method

1. Blend the marinade lemongrass, shallots, garlic and turmeric to a paste, then mix in the coriander, cumin, fennel, sugar, salt and oil. Massage it into the chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is even better). Soak about 24 bamboo skewers in water.
2. For the sauce, drain the chillies and blend them with the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal and belacan (if using) into a smooth paste.
3. Heat the 100 ml oil in a pan over medium-low heat and fry the paste, stirring, for 10–12 min until dark red and the oil separates.
4. Stir in the water, peanuts, tamarind, palm sugar and salt. Simmer gently for 10 min, stirring often so it does not stick, until thick and spoonable. Loosen with water if needed and taste for sweet, sour and salty balance.
5. Thread 3–4 pieces of chicken onto each skewer, packing them tightly and leaving a handle at the bottom.
6. Grill over hot charcoal, on a griddle pan or under a hot grill, turning often, for 8–10 min. Brush with oil using the bruised lemongrass tops as you go. They are ready when charred at the edges and cooked through (75°C / 165°F inside).
7. Serve hot with bowls of peanut sauce, cucumber and onion, plus rice cakes (nasi impit or ketupat) if you have them.

Tips

• Thigh meat stays juicy over fierce heat; breast dries out quickly. The sauce is full of peanuts and may contain shrimp paste, so check for allergies.
• Cook the satay in batches and keep the cooked ones warm under foil rather than crowding the grill, which steams instead of chars.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

SBS Food Taste Asian Food SBS Food