Satay
is a common ‘street meat’ in Thailand, Indonesia, and several other Asian
countries. It’s simple, easy and fun to
make and has a nice, exotic taste that will delight time after time. I fell in love with it at a local Thai
restaurant, but now I generally make it at home on my grill. Here’s how.
Chicken
Satay
2
Large Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into strips.
1
Teaspoon Salt
1
Teaspoon Sugar
2
Tablespoons Curry Powder
½
Cup Coconut Milk
Bamboo
or other type of Wooden Skewers, soaked for several hours in water
First,
cut your chicken into strips.
I usually
get five strips out of a breast, but if you want to make sure your Satay is
nice, thick and juicy, you might just go with four strips per breast.
Next,
make your marinade. Mix the salt, sugar,
curry powder and coconut milk in a small bowl.
Make sure to use a good curry powder. I’m fond of Ship Brand
Madras Curry Powder.
If
you don’t regularly keep curry powder on hand, I’d recommend seeking out a can
of Ship Brand at your local Indian grocery.
It’s really flavorful, and will inspire you to flights of all sorts of
culinary experimentation.
Once
you’ve mixed up the marinade, dredge the chicken strips in it, then lay them
out on a tray.
Cover them with any
leftover marinade, then refrigerate for a few hours to let the marinade work
in.
When
you’re ready to cook, light a medium-hot fire on your charcoal grill. This will best replicate the way the street
vendors cook Satay in Asia. While your
charcoal is getting going, skewer the chicken on the wooden skewers, one or two strips to a stick. When the charcoal is ready,
lay them out on the grill. I usually
grill them with the lid off of the grill, as this better replicates the technique
used by the Asian street vendors. To
protect the ends of the skewers, I’ll lay a little foil under them on the
grill.
After
a few minutes, flip the Satay. It should
have a nice char on the cooked side.
Let
the second side cook for a few more minutes, then it should be ready to
go. If you want, test a piece by pulling
it apart to make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through.
Serve
with some white rice and a side of Thai Peanut Sauce. Definitely don’t skip the Peanut Sauce
(recipe here on last month’s An Eatin’ Man).
It makes the dish.
