Satay (Kajang)
Chicken satay
Sate Kajang — turmeric and lemongrass chicken skewers with peanut sauce and rice cakes
The town of Kajang, just south of Kuala Lumpur, built its name on satay, and evenings there still smell of lemongrass smoke drifting from long charcoal troughs. Kajang skewers are cut in larger chunks than most, soaked in a yellow marinade of turmeric, lemongrass, cumin and fennel, and grilled while being basted with oil brushed on through a lemongrass stalk. They come with a chunky, sweet-spicy peanut sauce, cubes of compressed rice (nasi impit), raw onion and cucumber. Order them by the dozen with friends as a starter or a whole supper. Chef's tip: thread a small piece of chicken skin or fat between the meat on each skewer; it melts over the coals and keeps the satay juicy.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the satay
- 1 ½ lb boneless chicken thighsskin on, cut into 2 cm pieces
- 5 shallots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 stalks lemongrass2 sliced for the paste, 1 bruised into a brush
- ½ oz galangalsliced
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground fennel
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp vegetable oilhalf for the marinade, half for basting
- 24 bamboo skewerssoaked in water 30 min
For the peanut sauce
- 7 oz roasted peanutsskinned, coarsely ground
- 3 tbsp chilli paste (cili boh)blended soaked dried chillies
- 3 shallotsblended with the lemongrass below
- 1 stalk lemongrasssliced
- 1 tbsp tamarind pulpsoaked in 100 ml warm water and strained
- 2 ⅛ oz palm sugar (gula melaka)grated
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups water
To serve
- 14 oz compressed rice cakes (nasi impit or ketupat)cut into cubes
- 1 cucumbercut into chunks
- 1 red onioncut into wedges
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Blend 5 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, 2 stalks of the 3 stalks lemongrass and ½ oz galangal to a fine paste. Bruise and fray the end of the third lemongrass stalk with the back of a knife to make a basting brush.
Step 2: In a bowl, mix the paste with 2 tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground fennel, 2 tsp ground coriander, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt and half the 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Toss in 1 ½ lb boneless chicken thighs until every piece is yellow. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (or up to overnight). Wash the board and knife used for the raw chicken.
20 minStep 3: For the sauce, blend 3 shallots and 1 stalk lemongrass to a paste. Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry this with 3 tbsp chilli paste (cili boh) for 6–8 minutes until deep red and the oil separates.
8 minStep 4: Add 7 oz roasted peanuts, the strained 1 tbsp tamarind pulp, 2 ⅛ oz palm sugar (gula melaka), ½ tsp salt and 1 ½ cups water. Simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until thick and spoonable; it catches easily, so scrape the base. Loosen with water if needed.
10 minStep 5: Thread 4–5 pieces of chicken onto each of the soaked 24 bamboo skewers, packed snugly, with a bit of skin tucked between them. Leave the bottom third of the stick bare as a handle.
Step 6: Heat a charcoal or gas grill (or a grill pan) to a high heat. Grill the satay for 3–4 minutes a side, dabbing them with the lemongrass brush dipped in the rest of the 2 tbsp vegetable oil each time you turn them, until charred at the edges.
8 minStep 7: Check a thick piece: the chicken must reach 165°F (165 °F) and show no pink. A common slip is threading the meat too loosely; thin, gappy skewers dry out before the edges char, while snug ones stay juicy.
Step 8: Serve hot with the warm peanut sauce, cubes of 14 oz compressed rice cakes (nasi impit or ketupat), 1 cucumber and 1 red onion.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 37 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does satay (Kajang) take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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