SATAY CHICKEN

While grilling yakatori skewers on the bbq grill the other weekend,  I got to thinking about bbq chicken skewers other than Japanese style and considered Turkish Shish Kebab  and Russian Shashlik.  Then I recalled a Thai restaurant located north of Atlanta, Georgia that had Sate Madura on its menu, a most popular Sate because it uses peanut sauce. Since it sounds like Satay, you often see it spelled this way.  The dish was made truly toothsome because of the sauce used.  This Satay peanut sauce is and has been extremely popular all over Southeast Asia and is the national dish in Indonesia, where it originated.  Arab immigrants, who from way back in history put chunks of meat on their swords and cooked them over an open fire introduced proto skewers to the Indonesians. Indonesia developed the peanut sauce introduced by the Spanish and the rest is history. Because of its location and resources (Spice Islands)  Indonesia was influenced by visitors from the Middle East, India, China, Portugal, Spain and Holland; which is why Satay is very popular with the Dutch.

Traditionally, satay refers to any grilled skewered meats with various sauces, and is not necesarily served in peanut sauce. But the peanut sauce is the most renowned  and is often used with non-skewered dishes, even hamburgers.
Chicken satay is not difficult to make, nor is the fabulous satay sauce.  Like the popular Chicken Yakatori, the satay variation is wonderful.
This recipe is adapted from “Favourite Asian Recipes”  Murdock books.

Chicken Sate                   serves 6 or 8

Ingredients
16 bamboo skewers

Marinade:

·        2 lbs (1kg) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

·        1 Tablespoon peanut oil

·        1 teaspoon asian sesame oil

·        1” (3 cm) fresh gingerroot, peeled and grated or minced

·        1 clove of garlic bruised

Sate Sauce:

·        1 tablespoon peanut oil

·        1 onion, minced

·        1 cup (8oz, 250gm) crunchy style peanut butter

·        ¼ cup (60ml) sweet soy sauce, or regular plus a little sugar

·        ¾ tablespoon ground coriander

·        1 teaspoon turmeric

·        1 teaspoon chili paste

·        1 cup (8 oz, 250gm) coconut milk

·        1 teaspoon brown sugar or molasses

·        1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Method:

1.      Mix the peanut oil, sesame oil, gingerroot and garlic

2.      Put the chicken strips in a resealable plastic bag

3.      Pour in the marinade, cover and refrigerate 3 hours

4.      Soak 15 bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes

5.      Thread the chicken strips onto the skewers

6.      Cook on charcoal grill till cooked through, about 5 minutes or under a preheated broiler

7.      Place the skewers onto a platter

To prepare the Sate sauce:

1.      Heat the oil in a pan

2.      Cook the onion for 5 minutes

3.      Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, coriander, chili paste and coconut milk

4.      Bring to boil, then simmer for 5 minutes

5.      Stir in the sugar or molasses and the juice until combined

6.      Pour the sauce into a serving bowl.

Unless you have a peanut allergy, you will want to try this Satay. Enjoy.