Indonesian Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

I've hit the point every blogger dreads....although I think I've hit it before I've even posted enough to be actually called a blogger. Brainfart. Or maybe more accurately, blog ADD.  I start typing something, I quit. I start making something only to realize halfway through the process, I've forgotten to take pictures of a critical and confusing step....ahhhh! So now, I'm just biting the bullet. Indonesian Chicken Satay, here goes. 

 

INDONESIAN CHICKEN SATAY

The Marinade

3 tbsp soy sauce ( I like to use 1.5 tbsp regular and 1.5 tbsp sweet soy sauce, it has a consistency more like molasses and has a great sweetness to it, but using 3 tbsp regular works really well too)

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp sesame oil or peanut oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped small(or1.5 - 2 tbsp of the pre-minced stuff in a jar)

1 pich black pepper

1 pinch ground cumin

1 tbsp sambal or chili paste if you like it spicy. (Sambal is usually found in the Asian section of grocery stores, it often is a clear plastic jar with a green lid.  It's a chunky red chili paste with GREAT flavor if you like spice, if not DO NOT USE IT!)

6 tbsp water

6 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips, like you would for fajitas, maybe a little thicker.

Mix all ingredients together.  Add the chicken, stir to coat. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 25 minutes. This marinadereally does work in as little as 15 minutes. I've done it on several occasions, although I prefer to let it sit for at least a few hours. 

The Spicy Peanut Sauce (I like this so much I always make too much, I put it on rice or eat it by the fingerful like most people eat Nutella)

1 tbsp vegetable oil for sauteeing

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 clove garlic, peeled minced (or 1 tbsp of the cheaters garlic)

1/2 cup peanut butter ( I use chunky, but I end up using my immersion blender to get it the right consistency...creamy is too smooth for me, chunky is too chunky...i like the middle ground)



1 cup water
2 tbsp sweet soy sauce OR 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp white sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1-3 tbsp sambal if you want....add 1, see how you like it before deciding to add more...it takes a few seconds for teh kick to hit you)

In a saucepan, sautee the onions and garlic.  Add water, peanut butter, soy sauce(or soy sauce and sugar) Stir while cooking on medium heat, until blended.  Remove from heat, add in lemon juice and sambal.  Taste and see if you want to add anything.  Set aside. 

Thread your chicken onto the skewers and toss your remaining marinade.   These can be done on a regular gas or charcoal grill, or an electric George Foreman type grill.  Make sure it's hot, you want to get a good sear on the chicken.  Grill about 5 minutes per side, until the juice runs clear.   Serve with the peanut sauce and some jasmine rice.  I also like a quick cumber salad with a little vinegar and white sugar over thinly sliced cukes. It's a great complement to the meal.

Short cut to Peanut sauce(I know, I'm usually against short cuts, but with ethnic foods it's often hard to achieve the same results with the ingredients available to us here, so spice packs sauce kits can be great) So- the short cut. If there is an Asian grocery near you or you want to buy online you can search for indonesian peanut dressing, often called bumbu pecel(shown below in the green box).  It comes in a brick, generally you only need 1/4 to 1/2 the brick.  Put it in a bowl with 1/2 cup water and microwave for a few minutes.  Use a fork to blend sauce and water, adding more water until you get the cinsistency you want.  I also add a little sweet soy sauce(shown below), garlic and sambal, and maybe a tsp or two of vegetable oil to smooth it out.  This is a great way to learn what the sauce is supposed to taste like before attempting it on your own.  (I say supposed to taste like, but even if yours isn't authentic who cares as long as you like it!)

This is my FAVORITE way to cook chicken.  It's best right off the grill, so dont prepare it too far in advance. We wait till out guests arrive to start grilling, and then just start handing out meat as it comes off the grill.