Sate Ayam

Javanese chicken satay marinated in turmeric and lemongrass, grilled over coconut charcoal with kecap manis peanut sauce

Origin: Java & Madura, Indonesia

From the journey of Peanut.

Satay (sate in Indonesian and Malay) is one of the world's great street foods; small pieces of meat threaded onto bamboo skewers, grilled over glowing coconut husk charcoal, and served with a peanut sauce that is the dish's defining element. The pairing of grilled meat with ground peanut sauce is a Javanese invention of the late 18th century at the earliest, though its antecedents in the spiced and marinated meat traditions of the Javanese and Madurese coastal cultures go back much further. The Dutch East India Company introduced peanuts to Java around 1600; the development of sambal kacang (peanut sauce) as a condiment followed within a generation, and sate ayam Madura; Madurese chicken satay with a sweet, coconut-enriched peanut sauce and kecap manis (sweet soy); became the most celebrated form. Satay has since spread across Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam) and is now one of the most globally recognised Southeast Asian dishes. The peanut sauce; each cook's recipe is fiercely personal; is always the measure of a good satay.

Ingredients

Satay

  • 700 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm pieces

Marinade

  • 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, very finely minced
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tbsp kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 0.5 tsp salt

Peanut Sauce

  • 200 g roasted unsalted peanuts
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 3 shallots, roughly chopped
  • 3 dried red chiles or 2 fresh red chiles, deseeded
  • 1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi), toasted in foil on a dry pan
  • 2 tbsp kecap manis
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
  • 150 ml coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 0.5 tsp salt

To Serve

  • 1 cucumber, sliced diagonally
  • 4 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 recipe compressed rice (lontong) or plain steamed rice

Method

  1. Combine all marinade ingredients. Add the chicken pieces, toss to coat, and marinate for at least 2 hours (overnight is better). Thread onto bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 30 minutes); 3–4 pieces per skewer.
  2. Make the peanut sauce: blend the garlic, shallots, chiles, and shrimp paste into a smooth paste. Fry in the vegetable oil over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until fragrant. Add the ground peanuts (processed briefly to a coarse paste), kecap manis, tamarind, and palm sugar. Add the coconut milk gradually, stirring to incorporate. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until the sauce is thick, deeply fragrant, and glossy. Season with salt. Keep warm.
  3. Grill the satay skewers over the highest heat possible; charcoal is ideal, a very hot grill pan or BBQ works well. Grill for 2–3 minutes per side, basting with a little kecap manis during cooking, until the chicken is charred at the edges and cooked through.
  4. Arrange on a plate with cucumber slices and sliced shallots. Serve the peanut sauce warm alongside, in a generous bowl for dipping. Accompany with lontong or rice.

Notes

Kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) is available at most Asian supermarkets. There is no precise substitute; the closest is mixing regular soy sauce with an equal volume of molasses or palm sugar syrup. For a more authentic charcoal flavour, use a chimney charcoal lighter and coconut husk charcoal, which burns hotter and cleaner than briquettes.

The Gastrographer

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