Chicken Satay and Peanut Sauce
Satay is a very popular dish in Thailand and can be made with chicken, the most popular, or many other meats. Go ahead and try some variations. The main ingredient, that gives satay its particular taste, is curry powder and turmeric.
4 servings
Satay Ingredients
3 skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons sugar
Peanut Sauce Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon panaeng curry paste
½ cup coconut milk
½ cup chicken stock or broth
3 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
1 cup ground roasted peanut
Preparation
To make satays, toast the coriander and cumin seeds gently in a small skillet without oil for about 5 minutes, stir or shake frequently to make sure they don’t burn. Remove from heat and grind with a mortar and pestle to make fine powder.
Cut chicken breast lengthwise into thin strips about 1 inch wide. Mix all ingredients well, except chicken, in a bowl. Add chicken to the mixture; make sure that the meat is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
To make peanut sauce, heat the oil in a skillet until a light haze appears. Add the chopped garlic and sauté until golden brown. Add the curry paste, mix well and cook for a few seconds. Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, sugar, salt and ground peanut, stir well to blend; turn off the heat and add lemon juice. Cook 2-4 minutes, constantly stirring. Pour the sauce into a bowl.
Traditionally, chicken is threaded onto the skewers for grilling. Eight-inch skewers is a good size. Soak the skewers in cold water for 30 minutes before threading the chicken; it is easier to work with than the dry ones. If you have electric grill, the chicken can be cooked without skewers. If cooking on the outdoor grill, the skewers will make it easy to handle. Cook chicken on both sides, turning to make sure they are cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
Serve with the peanut sauce. In Thailand, this dish is also served with toast.
