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Malaysian Chicken Satay
Malaysian Chicken Satay is a traditional Malaysian recipe for a classic dish of barbecued chicken in a chunky chilli-based sauce with peanuts. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Malaysian version of: Malaysian Chicken Satay.
prep time
30 minutes
cook time
20 minutes
Total Time:
50 minutes
Serves:
8
Rating: 
Tags : CurryChilli RecipesSpice RecipesChicken RecipesMalaysia Recipes
Though Thai satays with their smooth sauce are probably the most well-known, just about every South-east Asian country have their own version of this classic street food. The Malay version is quite distinctive for its chunkier sauce and the absence of coconut milk.
Ingredients:
Marinade Ingredients:
900g (2 lbs) chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
Juice of 1 lime
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp galangal powder
¾ tsp lemongrass powder
3 red bird’s eye chillies finely chopped
2 tsps sugar
2 tsps salt
For the Satay:
2 tbsp tamarind paste
2 stalks lemongrass
250ml (1 cup) oil
1 tbsp coriander seed
1 tsp cumin seeds
5cm (2 in) piece of galangal
1 shallot
3 garlic cloves
5 red bird’s eye chillies
65g (½ cup) peanuts
4 tbsp peanut oil
2 tbsp palm sugar
½ tsp salt
Method:
Cut the chicken into large bite-sized pieces then squeeze over the lime juice. Set aside for 5 minutes then scatter over the turmeric, galangal powder, lemongrass powder, chillies, sugar and salt and toss to combine. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes, while you prepare the oil and sauce.
Place the tamarind paste in a bowl and add 4 tbsps boiling water, set aside.
For the lemongrass oil, remove the root end and use the top 1/3 of the lemongrass stalks, about 12.5cm (5 in). Cut into slices and set aside (this will later be used to make the satay sauce).
Place the bottom 2/3 of the lemongrass on a chopping board and pound it with a mallet to bruise release the flavour then cut into 7.5cm (3 in) strips. Transfer these strips to a saucepan and add 250ml (1 cup) of oil. Bring to a boil then take off the heat and set aside to cool.
Once the lemongrass oil has cooled, transfer the oil and lemongrass to a glass jar. Secure with a lid and store in a cool, dark cupboard. The lemongrass will continue to infuse the oil as it matures.
For the satay sauce, combine coriander and cumin seeds in a coffee grinder and process to a powder. Pour the spice powder into a food processor, add the sliced lemongrass (reserved from above), galangal, shallot, garlic, and chillies then process until you have a smooth paste. Scrape this into a bowl.
Clean the food processor, add the peanuts and pulse until well chopped, but stop before the oils have released to start making peanut butter.
Strain the tamarind paste, squeezing out as much liquid as possible. Discard the paste and save the tamarind extract. Heat the peanut oil in a pan, add the spice paste and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables have cooked.
Now add the peanuts, tamarind extract and 250ml (1 cup) water. Bring to a boil then add the palm sugar and salt. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook gently for 3-4 minutes, until all the sugar has dissolved.
Thread the meat onto wooden/bamboo skewers (it’s best if these are soaked in water for at least 20 minutes beforehand).
Grill chicken on a grill pan or charcoal barbecue outside, until the chicken is cooked through (15-20 minutes). As the chicken is cooking, turn frequently and brush with the lemongrass oil.
Coat the skewers with the satay sauce and serve some more of the sauce on the side.
