PING COOMBES – CHICKEN SATAY ( SATAY AYAM)

This really is one of the quintessential Malaysian dishes, and as such one I always wanted to make “properly”. It is such a long way from those dry, colourless prepacked satay sticks you get from supermarkets (thankfully) and a really great starter or as I serve it part of a banquet style dish. The kids love it as well as the adults, so real crowd pleaser.

It is particularly good cooked on the barbeque for that extra depth of charred taste and a dish you can prepare ahead and finish off when needed – always a winner when entertaining in my book.

The peanut sauce and it’s making may seem a bit longwinded and a hassle when you can buy jars of satay from any good oriental store, or even high street supermarket, but well worth it and I personally love the taste and texture of this peanut sauce and use leftovers on other dishes. I does freeze well too I find, so I make a batch and use for 2 or 3 of the chicken servings

Ingredients – Makes 10 – 12- skewers – bamboo ones best for this

300g boneless chicken thighs – book says skin on to keep in the moisture is preferable but either really is your taste

Peanut Sauce to serve (see below – from a different page in book)

Marinade

3 x Lemongrass Stalks – (tender base only) – really need fresh for this – I have tried dried and just not the same

2 x Tbsp Coconut Milk – Book says optional but I really feels needs it – esp if making sauce also as will have part of tin remaining

1 x Tbsp Turmeric

¼ x Tbsp Ground Cumin

1 x Tsp Salt

1 x Tsp Cater Sugar

1 x Tsp Vegetable Oil

Peanut Sauce – Makes Approx 650g

300g Salted Peanuts

12g dried red chillies (approx. 20 Chillies) – I use long dried ones here

½ onion – Roughly Chopped

2 x Garlic Cloves

20g Ginger – peeled and roughly chopped

3 x Lemongrass Stalks – (tender base only) – as above…..really need fresh for this

2 x Lemongrass Tips (Bruised with the back of a knife or similar – this is not in the books ingredients strangely, but the best I can make from the book’s method 

6 x Tbsp Vegetable Oil

5 x Tbsp Tamarind Concentrate – I have used paste also here

3 ½ x Tbsp Caster Sugar

1 ½ x Tsp Salt

400ml water

2 x Tbsp Dark, Sweet Soy Sauce – If haven’t any “sweet” I use Dark with a little extra sugar

120ml Coconut Milk

Method – this is way I make it, not necessarily the same steps as the recipe in the book!

First you need to marinade the chicken, as needs at least 4 hours to be in the marinade, ideally left overnight.

Cut the chicken thighs into approx. 2cm strips.

Blitz the Lemongrass first – a small mixer or spice grinder is good for this – to make a puree and add this along with the rest of the marinade ingredients into a bowl, stir so the chicken is well coated, cover and refrigerate overnight. At the same time, soak the bamboo skewers to assist with them not burning when cooking.

Next make the peanut sauce – either the day before or on the day you are making.

Initially blitz the peanuts until coarsely chopped in a food processor.

In a small saucepan bring some water to the boil, add the chillies and boil for approx. 5 mins. Remove from the heat and let stand and soak for approx. 15 mins. Ince softened in this way, drain the chillies, and split them lengthways, remove the seeds (you can discard them) and cut them into smaller pieces.

Add the chillies to a blender with the onion, garlic, ginger, and the bottoms of the lemongrass stalks and blitz to a paste. If need to add veg oil to loosen the paste, then do so sparingly.

Heat the oil in a heavy pan or wok, then add the paste you have made. Fry and stir the sauce frequently for approx. 5 mins until cooked and fragrant. Add the tamarind, bruised lemongrass tips, sugar and salt. Cook this gently, for approx. 5-8 mins until oil separates and the mixture turns darker. The book mentions it but do be careful with this as you don’t want to burn this, ….

Add the chopped peanuts, water, soy and coconut milk and cook for 2-30 mins (I normally find needs the 30) stirring until the sauce thickens. You do not need to constantly stir this, but do keep checking the sauce does not “catch” on the pan base,

When done adjust the seasoning to your preferences… as Ping states well in the book… A good Peanut sauce should be “spicy, sweet, sour and creamy”

Now for the chicken….. As always bring the chicken to room temperature before cooking!

Thread the marinated chicken onto the soaked skewers.

Heat a griddle pan – or as I prefer the grill – gently grill the meat turning frequently. Whilst it is good to get a “char” on the surface of the chicken you also need to ensure that the chicken is cooked.

If you can – and like that style of cooking – these are good cooked on a barbeque as the charring and flavour of the cooking over coals makes a great way to eat and serve them!

Serve piled up, with the peanut sauce on the side for people to help themselves with!

The Finished Dish

Picture of finished dish and as part of a sharing meal