Chicken Satay (Sate Ayam)

Method

1. Soak the skewers in water for 30 min so they do not burn. Meanwhile, cut the chicken into 2 cm pieces about 1 cm thick; small, even pieces cook through before the outside burns. Keep the fat on, as it keeps satay juicy.

   Add in this stepBamboo skewers (about 20 cm) 10Boneless, skinless chicken thighs 300 g

2. Grate or very finely chop the marinade garlic and shallots. Mix them in a bowl with the kecap manis, ground coriander, oil, lime juice and salt, add the chicken and rub it in well. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 min.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves 2Shallots 1Kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) 2 tbspGround coriander ½ tspCooking oil 2 tspLime juice 2 tspSalt 1 pinch

3. For the sauce, toast the peanuts in a dry 22 cm frying pan over medium-low heat for 6 min, stirring often, until golden with darker spots and smelling nutty. Let them cool, rub off the loose skins, then blend with the sauce garlic, shallots, chili and half the water to a coarse paste; a little texture is traditional. If using roasted peanuts, skip the toasting.

   Add in this stepRaw peanuts (or unsalted roasted peanuts) 70 gGarlic cloves (for the sauce) 1Shallots (for the sauce) 1Fresh red chili 1Water 70 ml

   medium-low heat

4. Heat the sauce oil in a 16 cm small pot over medium heat and fry the paste for 2 min, stirring, until it smells toasty. Add the kecap manis, palm sugar, tamarind, salt and the rest of the water, turn to low heat and simmer for 6 min, stirring often so it does not catch, until thick enough to coat a spoon. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.

   Add in this stepCooking oil (for the sauce) 1 tbspKecap manis (for the sauce) 1½ tbspPalm sugar (or brown sugar) 1½ tspTamarind paste 1 tspSalt (for the sauce) 1 pinchWater 70 ml

   medium heat→low heat

5. Thread the chicken onto 10 skewers, 4–5 pieces each, pushing them snugly together and leaving 5 cm bare at the bottom as a handle. Mix the basting kecap manis and oil in a small bowl.

   Add in this stepKecap manis (for basting) 1 tbspCooking oil (for basting) 1 tbsp

6. Heat a 26 cm grill pan (or heavy frying pan) over medium heat for 3 min and brush it lightly with oil.

   medium heat

7. Grill the skewers in batches (2 in total) without crowding. Cook over medium-high heat for 3 min 30 sec without moving them, until well browned underneath, then turn, brush with the basting mix and cook for 3 min. Brush and turn once more for a few seconds, until sticky and charred at the edges. The chicken is done when a piece cut open shows no pink and the juices run clear.

   medium-high heat

8. Pile the satay on a plate, spoon over the warm peanut sauce and serve with cucumber chunks, sliced shallots and lime wedges. Rice or lontong (compressed rice cakes) make it a full meal.

   Add in this stepCucumber 100 gShallots, thinly sliced (to serve) 1Lime, cut into wedges 1