Thailand · Meat Dishes

Thai Satay with Peanut Sauce

Satay (สะเต๊ะ) arrived in Thailand from Indonesia via Malay traders and became one of the country's most beloved street foods.

45 min✻4 servings✻480 kcal
Thai Satay with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

  • chicken thighs600 g
  • lemongrass stalk, tender inner part only1
  • turmeric powder1 tsp
  • ground coriander1 tsp
  • ground cumin0.5 tsp
  • fish sauce1 tbsp
  • brown sugar1 tbsp
  • full-fat coconut milk120 ml
  • roasted peanuts150 g
  • red curry paste2 tbsp
  • full-fat coconut milk400 ml
  • fish sauce2 tbsp
  • palm sugar or brown sugar2 tbsp
  • tamarind paste or lime juice1 tbsp
  • bamboo skewers20

Method

  1. 1Marinate the meat. Combine the minced lemongrass, turmeric, ground coriander, cumin, fish sauce, brown sugar, and coconut milk in a bowl. Slice the chicken into strips about 2 cm wide and 8 cm long, cutting against the grain so the fibres are short. Add to the marinade and massage well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — overnight is significantly better. Thread each strip onto a soaked bamboo skewer in a zigzag weave so the meat lies flat and cooks evenly.
  2. 2Make the peanut sauce. Roughly grind the roasted peanuts to a coarse meal — they should be sandy and textured, not smooth like peanut butter. The texture is part of the authentic character of Thai satay sauce. Heat 80 ml of the coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it thickens slightly. Add the red curry paste and stir-fry in the coconut cream for 2 minutes until fragrant and the oil separates. Add the remaining coconut milk, ground peanuts, fish sauce, palm sugar, and tamarind paste. Stir well. Simmer gently 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste: it should be rich, slightly sweet, nutty, and gently spiced. Add water to thin if needed.
  3. 3Make the quick cucumber pickle (optional but traditional). Slice half a cucumber and one shallot thinly. Dissolve 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in 4 tablespoons rice vinegar with 2 tablespoons water. Pour over the cucumber and shallot. Leave 10 minutes — the pickle is ready when the cucumber softens slightly but still has crunch. This acid cuts through the rich peanut sauce.
  4. 4Grill the skewers. Cook over a hot charcoal grill or a very hot griddle pan, turning every 60 seconds, for 6 to 8 minutes total. The chicken is done when golden-caramelized at the edges with a slight char and cooked through. Do not cook on low heat — satay needs high direct heat to develop the caramelized exterior that makes it distinctive. If using an oven: grill/broil at maximum temperature for 12 to 15 minutes, turning halfway.
  5. 5Serve. Arrange the skewers on a plate. Pour the warm peanut sauce into a small bowl alongside. Add the cucumber pickle. In Thailand, satay is commonly served with toasted white bread for dipping into the remaining peanut sauce once the skewers are finished. Garnish with sliced red chilli and crushed roasted peanuts.