Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Few things smell as irresistible as chicken skewers over charcoal, while the nutty peanut sauce bubbles alongside. Satay has roots in Indonesian and Malaysian street food and spread throughout Southeast Asia, each with its own small twist. Here, the chicken is marinated in a golden mixture of coconut milk, turmeric, and coriander, which gives the meat color and depth, and I make the sauce rich with peanut butter, coconut milk, red curry paste, and a splash of lime. Together, it becomes a meal that tastes like vacation.

• Cuisine: Indonesian
• Time: 35 minutes + marinating
• Servings: 4 people
• Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into long, thin strips, so they are easy to thread onto skewers and cook quickly.
2. Mix a marinade from half of the coconut milk, half of the soy sauce (1 tbsp), half of the palm sugar (½ tbsp), ground coriander, ground turmeric, crushed garlic, and a little oil, and thoroughly coat the chicken. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes, preferably an hour. Do not use the used chicken marinade as a sauce.
3. Soak the wooden skewers in cold water in the meantime, then thread the chicken onto them in a wavy shape so it stays firmly attached.
4. Grill or pan-fry the skewers over high heat for three to four minutes on each side, until the chicken is cooked through and slightly caramelized at the edges.
5. Meanwhile, mix the peanut sauce: briefly heat red curry paste in oil, add peanut butter, the rest of the coconut milk, the rest of the soy sauce (1 tbsp), the rest of the palm sugar (½ tbsp), and lime juice, and let it simmer for a couple of minutes until a smooth, rich sauce forms. Add a little water if it becomes too thick.
6. Cook jasmine rice according to package directions as a side dish.
7. Serve the skewers with rice, a fresh cucumber salad (optional), and the peanut sauce on the side as a dip.
8. Garnish with chopped peanuts, fresh coriander leaves, and lime wedges.

Tips

• Soak wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes before grilling to prevent them from burning.
• For a vegetarian version, you can use firm tofu cubes instead of chicken – pat it dry thoroughly before marinating.
• Adjust the spiciness of the sauce with extra red curry paste, and season with extra lime if it tastes too rich.
• The sauce can be made the day before and gently reheated with a splash of water to make it creamy again.