Recipes

Pork or Chicken Satay

Satay Moo / Satay Gai

Skewered marinated meat grilled quick and hot, served with peanut sauce or cucumber relish

Prep

30 min

Cook

10 min

Serves

4

Heat

mild

Good satay comes down to the marinade and the grilling technique more than anything else. Here the meat sits in a paste of ground coriander seed, cumin, and white pepper worked together with fresh galangal, lemongrass, and coriander root, then loosened into a marinade with coconut milk, turmeric, sugar, and salt. A long soak, ideally overnight, lets those flavors work all the way through thin slices of pork or chicken. On the grill they only need a minute or two per side, just enough to char the edges while keeping the inside soft.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb Pork tenderloin (or boneless, skinless chicken breast) (sliced thin)
• 1/2 cup Coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon Galangal root (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon Lemongrass (chopped)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Coriander root (chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon Coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds, whole
• 1/4 teaspoon White peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Directions

1. If using pork, trim the fat from thick loin chops and slice into even pieces about 1/4 inch thick. If using chicken, cut boneless breast lengthwise into thin strips.
2. Grind the white peppercorns, cumin seed, and coriander seed to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle. Add the chopped galangal, lemongrass, and coriander root and continue grinding until you have a soft, fine pulp.
3. Whisk the coconut milk, sugar, salt, and turmeric together with the ground herb paste. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then stir again and pour over the sliced meat, mixing well to coat everything evenly.
4. Let the meat marinate at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least an hour so they don't burn or pull moisture from the meat while grilling.
5. Thread the meat onto the skewers, keeping it as flat as possible. Grill over a hot fire for about 1 to 2 minutes per side — just enough to cook through without drying it out.
6. Serve hot off the grill with sweet peanut sauce, cucumber relish, or both.

Notes

Keep the meat slices thin and flat on the skewer so they cook through fast on the grill without drying out or scorching before the center is done.

Substitutions

Chicken breast and pork tenderloin are interchangeable in this marinade with no other changes needed. If fresh galangal isn't available, dried galangal reconstituted in a little water works in a pinch, though the flavor will be milder.