My co-worker is a really good cook that owned a Malaysian restaurant before. She knew that I am interested to learn authentic Malaysian dishes, so she made me extra peanut satay sauce from her catering and taught me what ingredients to use for marinating the meat. Along with a recipe from my Malaysian cookbook, there’s the adapted version:
Ingredients:
4 boneless and skinless chicken legs or thighs, cut into 2 cm cubes
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric powder
Spice Paste:
3/4 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 stalks lemon grass, thick bottom third only, outer layers removed, inner part sliced
1 onion, chopped OR 6-7 shallots, halved
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp minced ginger
2 tsp minced galangal
1 tbsp oil
Method:
- Fry the seeds till fragrant. Grind the spice paste ingredients in a blender, adding oil last. Mix the paste with the chilli powder, sugar, salt and turmeric powder, and marinate the chicken cubes overnight.
- Thread a few chicken pieces onto each bamboo skewers. Grill the chicken, constantly brushing with a stalk of lemongrass dipped in the oil. Or grill the chicken under an oven broiler for 10 minutes on each side.
- Serve with a bowl of Satay Sauce (peanut sauce) and sliced cucumber.
P.S. I made first time with chicken breast (as in the pictures), and second time it tastes better with chicken thigh (eventhough I omitted lemongrass as there’s none in my house). My husband thinks adding lemongrass is overrated, so if you don’t want to bother, you may opt out.
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