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Written by Palvinder Lee
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Satay is an Indonesian dish of pieces of marinated meat grilled on
wooden skewers and served with a spicy peanut sauce. Traditionally, the
meat used in satay is not cubed but minced and molded around the satay
sticks. However, delicious satay can also be made with tender cubes of
meat: leg or rib of pork with a little fat; skinless breast or upper
thigh of chicken; sirloin or rump steak (fillet is too dry); best end
of lamb or lamb chops.
Marinating the meat for a few hours before cooking, as with the chicken
in the recipe below, will tenderize as well as flavor it. Use bamboo
satay sticks, which should be soaked in water for a few hours before
using so they will not burn. They should be about 20cm (8in) long to
allow the meat to be skewered along half the length, leaving a 'handle'
to grasp during grilling.
Grilled Chicken Satay
Makes 20 - 30 sticks
Preparation Time: 20 minutes, plus
at least 2 hours marinating
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
1 kg (2.2lb) chicken breast
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 tablespoon each finely minced
ginger and garlic
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
To use as basting brush: 3 stalks
lemon grass, bruised at the base
1. Cut the chicken into 2cm cubes and flatten them a little.
2. Combine all the other ingredients in a bowl then stir in the
chicken, making sure all the pieces are well coated. Refrigerate the
chicken for a few hours or leave overnight.
3. When you are ready to cook the chicken, preheat the barbecue or
grill until red hot. Thread the cubes of meat onto the presoaked bamboo
skewers and press as much of the marinade onto the meat as possible.
4. Grill the satay for 5 minutes per stick, turning once or twice
during cooking and basting the meat often using the bruised lemon grass
as a brush. Serve with satay sauce.
Variation
Whole scored chicken breasts steeped in the same marinade can be
grilled and served as a main course, with satay sauce alongside, plus
rice and a salad or stir-fried vegetables.
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