Recipe
Singapore Satay
A Malay classic which has become the most loved dish from this region. Satay is the Singapore version of skwered barbecued meat served with a spicy sweet peanut sauce. The meat is marinated and is served skewered, three pieces of meat to a stick.
Accompanying the satay to make a complete meal are sliced cucumbers, sliced raw onions and pressed rice cakes call ketupat. Ideal for a summer barbecue or as part of a beer bash.
Ingredients for Meat
- 900 grammes (2 lbs) boneless chicken or rump steak
- 200 grammes (7 oz) palm sugar
- One Tbs sugar
- One tsp tamarind pulp (assam)
- Half cup water
- One-and-a-half tsp salt
- Three-and-a-half Tbs coriander seeds or two-and-a-half Tbs ground coriander
- 5 Tbs vegetable oil
To Pound
- 5 candlenuts (optional)
- 2 stalks fresh lemon grass or one tsp powdered lemon grass
- 60 grammes (2 oz) galangal (lengkwas, a hard ginger also known as kha in Thai) or use 5 tsp powdered galangal
- One fresh red chilli
- 150 grammes (5 oz) shallots or onions, peeled
Instructions to Cook
- Cut rump steak into long strips with the grain and then slice thinly. Cut chicken into small one-cm (half-inch) cubes.
- Melt palm sugar over low heat with quarter cup water. Strain and discard grit. Mix tamarind pulp with quarter cup water, knead and sieve to discard fibres and seeds.
- Toast coriander on medium heat in an oven till fragrant. Grind in a coffee grinder. Or substitute with two-and-a-half Tbs ground coriander.
- Wash candlenuts. Peel galangal. Use only the bottom 5 cm of the lemon grass. Slice roughly. Pound or grind the candlenuts, galangal, lemon grass, chilli and shallots.
- Mix with the palm sugar, white sugar, salt, tamarind water and coriander powder.
- String three pieces of meat to a skewer and marinate in the spice for at least 10 hours.
- Barbecue over glowing coals till cooked and browned.
Ingredients for Sauce
- One cup toasted peanuts, pounded fine
- Quarter cup sugar
- Half Tbs rice vinegar or malt vinegar
- 60 grammes (2 oz) tamarind pulp (assam)
- 2 cups water
- Half cup vegetable oil
- Three-quarter tsp salt
- One stalk lemon grass, smashed lightly
Spice Mixture to Pound
- 3 candlenuts
- 15 grammes fresh galangal or one-and-a-half tsp powdered galangal
- 15 dried chillies, soaked in warm water
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- One tsp shrimp paste (belacan)
- 30 grammes (1 oz) shallots or onions, peeled
Sauce Preparation Instructions
- Mix tamarind pulp with water and strain for juice.
- Pound or grind spice mixture till very fine.
- Fry spice mixture in hot oil till fragrant. Add remaining ingredients, and boil for 15 minutes, stirring well. Allow the spices to infuse into the peanuts. This sauce is a satay dip as well as a dressing for mixed salad called gado gado in Malay.