Satay at Home: Skewers, Peanut Sauce, and the Right Marinade

Satay is sold from portable charcoal grills throughout Malaysia, fanned by hand to maintain heat, turned constantly to char without drying. The chicken thigh version is the most common; beef is fattier and slightly richer. At home, a hot grill pan, an oven broiler, or an outdoor grill all produce good results - the main variable is getting the marinade right and not overcooking meat on thin skewers.

The Marinade (for 500g meat)

• 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, sliced thin
• 4 shallots, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, 2cm galangal or ginger, sliced
• 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• 1 tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt

Blend to a smooth paste. Combine with thinly sliced meat (chicken thigh, or beef sirloin cut against the grain into 2cm strips) and marinate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

Threading and Cooking

1. Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before use.
2. Thread 3-4 pieces of meat onto each skewer, pressing compactly. Thin, flat threading cooks more evenly than a fat bundle.
3. Grill over high heat. Turn every 2 minutes. Total cook time: 8-10 minutes for chicken, 6-8 minutes for beef strips.
4. Brush with a little oil or remaining marinade while cooking. The sugar in the marinade will caramelise and char slightly - this is correct.

The Peanut Sauce

The peanut sauce is the reason people keep coming back. This recipe makes a generous amount - it keeps refrigerated for a week.

Ingredients

• 200g unsalted roasted peanuts, blended coarsely (some texture is good)
• 3 dried chilies (soaked) blended with 3 shallots and 2 garlic cloves into a paste
• 1 lemongrass stalk, bruised
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• 250ml water, 1 tbsp oil, salt to taste

Method

1. Fry the chilli-shallot paste in oil for 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened.
2. Add lemongrass, water, tamarind, and sugar. Bring to a simmer.
3. Add blended peanuts. Stir constantly over medium heat for 5-8 minutes as the sauce thickens. It should coat the back of a spoon.
4. Season with salt. Remove lemongrass. Adjust sweetness and sourness to taste.

Nutrition (per 4 skewers + 3 tbsp peanut sauce)

• Calories: ~420 kcal (chicken) / ~460 kcal (beef)
• Protein: ~32g (chicken) / ~28g (beef)
• Carbs: ~18g
• Fat: ~24g (chicken) / ~28g (beef)

The Traditional Accompaniments

Satay is served with ketupat (compressed rice cakes), sliced cucumber, and quartered raw shallots. Ketupat is fiddly to make at home - plain steamed rice served alongside is a practical substitute. The cucumber and raw onion are not optional: their crunch and freshness balance the richness of the peanut sauce.

Prep-Ahead Options

Marinate the meat the night before and refrigerate. The peanut sauce can be made 3-5 days ahead and reheated with a splash of water to loosen. Skewered but uncooked satay can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours before grilling. For more Malaysian dishes that batch-cook well - including rendang and kari ayam - see the Malaysian home cooking guide.