Michael’s Quick, Easy and Delish Dish for the Weekend

By Michael Minorgan for Curtains Up

www.globalgourmets.ca

Authentic Thai Chicken Satay

When traveling in South East Asia one of the many pleasures is visiting the  food stalls usually located next to the food markets that are found in every major city 0r small rural village. These food stalls almost always specialize in one particular dish that has probably been prepared by the same family with heirloom recipes handed down for decades. Street food in these countries is a fantastic way to discover the culture and traditions of the local inhabitants. All the food can be  eaten communal style offering you a great chance to mingle and converse with the locals in your and their broken English, Thai or Vietnamese (they are extremely hospitable and will gladly put up with your verbal faux pas). I have personally eaten at these food stalls many, many times without any incidence and at the same time have had some of the most delicious food ever…and it’s inexpensive. You can easily eat three good meals a day for under $10!..a bargain in any country.

This week’s recipe is a popular offering in Thailand and is a well known bbq dish here at home. This recipe is as authentic as it  gets so please don’t substitute ingredients, you will lose all the authentic tastes. All the ingredients are readily available at your local Asian grocery store….Enjoy!

Authentic Thai Chicken Satay

Ingredients

 8-12 skinless chicken thighs, cut into thin strips (

1 package wooden skewers

Satay Marinade

 1/4 cup minced lemongrass , fresh or frozen*

2 shallots or 1 small onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic

1-2 fresh red chilies, sliced

1 thumb-size piece galangal  thinly sliced*

1 tsp. minced fresh turmeric or 1/2 tsp. dried turmeric*

2 Tbsp. ground coriander

2 tsp. cumin

3 Tbsp. dark  soy sauce*

4 Tbsp. fish sauce*

5-6 Tbsp. palm sugar*

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Preparation     

1. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water while you prepare the meat (to prevent burning)..
2. Cut chicken into thin strips and place in a bowl.
3. Place all marinade ingredients in a food processor or chopper. Process well.
4. Taste-test the marinade – you will taste sweet, spicy, and salty. The strongest tastes should be SWEET and SALTY in order for the finished satay to taste its best. Add more sugar or more fish sauce (in place of salt) to adjust the taste. You can also add more chili if you want it spicier.
5. Pour the marinade over the meat and stir well to combine. Allow at least 1 hour for marinating, or longer (up to 24 hours).
6. When ready to cook, thread meat onto the skewers. Tip: Fill up to 3/4 of the skewer, leaving the lower half empty so that the person grilling has a “handle” to easily turn the satay during cooking.
7. Grill the satay on your BBQ, OR on an indoor grill, basting the first time you turn it with a little of the leftover marinade from the bottom of the bowl. OR you can broil in the oven on a broiling pan or baking sheet with the oven set to “broil” Place satay close beneath the heating element and turn the meat every 5 minutes until cooked (be sure to soak your wooden satay sticks in water before skewering). Depending on how thin your meat is, the satay should cook in 10 to 20 minutes.
8. Serve with Thai jasmine rice and Satay Dipping Sauce

 Satay Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, unsalted

1/3 cup water

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. dark soy sauce*

2 tsp. sesame oil*

2 Tbsp. palm sugar*

1 to 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, depending on desired saltiness/flavour*

1/2 tsp. tamarind paste*

1 tsp. Thai chili sauce (more or less to taste)*

1/3 cup coconut milk*

Preparation

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until sauce is smooth. If you prefer a runnier peanut sauce, add a little more water or coconut milk.
2. Do a taste test, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough, or more chilli if not spicy enough. If too salty, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice. If you’d prefer it sweeter, add a little more sugar.
3. Serve warm or at room temperature or combine with noodles to create a Thai-style noodle dish or cold noodle salad
4. Note: This sauce tends to thicken as it sits – just add a little water or coconut milk to thin it out, as needed. Otherwise it stores well if kept covered in the refrigerator (keep up to 2 weeks; freeze thereafter).