Satay Ayam — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Tender, turmeric-yellow chicken skewers grilled over coconut shell charcoal with a creamy, chunky peanut sauce. Malaysian satay is smoker and more aromatic than its cousins.

Ingredients

500g boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2cm cubes
3 stalks lemongrass, white part only
4 shallots, peeled
2 cloves garlic
1 inch galangal or ginger
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Peanut sauce: 1 cup roasted peanuts, 4 dried chillies, 2 shallots, 1 stalk lemongrass, 2 tbsp tamarind paste, 2 tbsp palm sugar, 1/2 cup coconut milk
Cucumber chunks, red onion wedges, and ketupat (compressed rice cakes) for serving

Instructions

1 Blend the lemongrass, shallots, garlic, galangal, turmeric, sugar, and oil into a smooth paste using a food processor or mortar and pestle. The paste should be fine-textured with no large fibrous pieces remaining.
2 Pour the marinade paste over the chicken cubes in a bowl and massage it into the meat thoroughly, ensuring every piece is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours or preferably overnight.
3 Thread five to six marinated chicken pieces onto each soaked bamboo skewer, packing them closely together and leaving about three centimetres of exposed skewer at each end for handling while grilling.
4 Preheat a charcoal grill or grill pan to high heat. Grill the satay skewers for two to three minutes per side, basting frequently with a brush dipped in oil, until the edges are lightly charred and the chicken is cooked through.
5 For the peanut sauce, blend or pound the dried chillies, shallots, and lemongrass into a paste. Fry the paste in oil until fragrant and darkened, then add the ground peanuts, coconut milk, tamarind, and palm sugar.
6 Simmer the peanut sauce over low heat for five to eight minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens and the oil begins to separate from the surface. Adjust sweetness, sourness, and saltiness to your preference.
7 Arrange the grilled satay skewers on a platter with a bowl of peanut sauce in the centre. Serve with cucumber chunks, red onion wedges, and sliced ketupat rice cakes for a complete traditional presentation.