Thai chicken satay
สะเต๊ะไก่ (sate gai) — turmeric chicken skewers with peanut sauce and ajad cucumber relish
ThaiSatay came to Thailand with Muslim cooks from the south and the Malay peninsula, and now its smoke drifts from Bangkok market lanes to the night stalls of Hua Hin: thin strips of chicken stained yellow with turmeric and coconut, grilled over charcoal until the edges char. Every order comes with two partners, a thick, gently spiced peanut sauce and ajad, a sweet-sour relish of cucumber, shallot and chilli that cuts the richness. Grilled bread or sticky rice turns it into a meal; on its own it is a party snack. Chef's tip: thread the meat in a flat, tight ribbon rather than bunched up, so it cooks evenly and quickly without drying out.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 ⅓ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighscut into strips 1 cm thick
- 1 stalk lemongrasstender part, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp palm sugargrated
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
For the peanut sauce
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 ½ tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 3 ½ oz roasted peanutsfinely ground
- 2 tbsp palm sugargrated
- 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 ½ tbsp water
For the ajad relish
- 4 tbsp white vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 4 tbsp water
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cucumbersmall, quartered lengthways and thinly sliced
- 1 shallotthinly sliced
- 1 red chillithinly sliced
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Pound 1 stalk lemongrass and 2 cloves garlic to a paste in a mortar, then mix in a bowl with ½ cup coconut milk, 1 ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp mild curry powder, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp palm sugar, 1 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
Step 2: Add 1 ⅓ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours, never on the counter. Wash the board and knife. Soak 20 bamboo skewers in water at the same time so they don't burn.
30 minStep 3: For the ajad, warm 4 tbsp white vinegar, 3 tbsp sugar, 4 tbsp water and ½ tsp salt in a small pan for 2 minutes, just until the sugar dissolves, then leave to cool completely.
2 minStep 4: For the peanut sauce, simmer 1 cup coconut milk in a saucepan over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until a little oil shows on the surface. Stir in 1 ½ tbsp Thai red curry paste and fry for 1 minute.
4 minStep 5: Add 3 ½ oz roasted peanuts, 2 tbsp palm sugar, 1 tbsp tamarind concentrate, ¼ tsp salt and 3 ½ tbsp water and simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until thick like custard. It catches on the bottom easily, so keep stirring.
5 minStep 6: Thread the chicken onto the skewers in flat, tight ribbons, leaving a bare handle. Throw away any leftover marinade.
Step 7: Grill over hot charcoal, on a ridged griddle pan or under a hot grill for 3–4 minutes per side, until charred at the edges and cooked through to 165°F (165 °F) with clear juices. Don't crowd the grill, or the chicken steams instead of browning.
8 minStep 8: Just before serving, pour the cooled dressing over 1 cucumber, 1 shallot and 1 red chilli so the cucumber stays crunchy. Serve the skewers hot with the peanut sauce and ajad.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does thai chicken satay take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
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