Satay Malaysia (Grilled Skewered Meat with Peanut Sauce)

About This Recipe

Satay is one of Malaysia's most celebrated dishes, small cubes of meat marinated in a fragrant blend of turmeric, lemongrass and coriander, threaded onto skewers and grilled over hot charcoal until charred and smoky. The accompanying peanut sauce is just as essential as the meat itself, ground roasted peanuts simmered with tamarind, palm sugar and chile into a thick, complex sauce that balances sweet, sour, salty and spicy in careful proportion. Traditionally served with ketupat (compressed rice cakes) and cucumber alongside the meat and sauce, satay is a fixture of Malaysian hawker stalls and celebrations, requiring patience with the marinade for the best result.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 700 gbeef sirloin or chicken thigh(cubed)
• 4shallots(for marinade)
• 2 stalkslemongrass(for marinade)
• 1 tbspturmeric(for marinade)
• 1 tbspground coriander(for marinade)
• 2 tbspbrown sugar(for marinade)
• 3 tbspvegetable oil(for marinade)
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 1 cuproasted peanuts(for sauce)
• 3 clovesgarlic(for sauce)
• 3dried red chiles(soaked, for sauce)
• 2 tbsptamarind paste(for sauce)
• 2 tbsppalm sugar(for sauce)
• 1 cupwater(for sauce)
• 1cucumber(sliced, for serving)
• 4ketupat or cooked rice cakes(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the marinade

   Blend shallots, lemongrass, turmeric, coriander, brown sugar, oil and salt into a smooth paste.

2. 2

   Marinate the meat

   Toss the cubed meat in the marinade and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

   Marinate as long as possible, ideally overnight — the turmeric and lemongrass need real time to color and flavor the meat thoroughly.

3. 3

   Skewer

   Thread the marinated meat onto skewers.

4. 4

   Make the peanut sauce

   Blend peanuts, garlic and soaked chiles into a coarse paste, then simmer with tamarind paste, palm sugar and water for 10 minutes until thickened.

5. 5

   Grill

   Grill the skewers over hot charcoal or a grill, turning frequently, 10-12 minutes until charred and cooked through.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve the skewers with the warm peanut sauce, cucumber slices and ketupat.

Variations

• •

  Lamb satay is a popular, richer alternative to beef or chicken.

• •

  A spicier peanut sauce increases the fresh or dried chile for those who enjoy more heat.

• •

  Serving with onion wedges alongside the cucumber is a traditional addition.

Storage

Refrigerate grilled skewers up to 3 days; the peanut sauce keeps well and can be gently reheated with a splash of water before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions