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Malaysian Chicken Satay
by Hasni Ghazali, Bentara Restaurant, New Haven, CT

Directions

Serves 20 as an appetizer
Serve with
Coconut Peanut Sauce

Put the garlic, lemongrass, ginger and onions in a blender, add 2 cups of water, and blend on high speed for about 1 minute. Pour the blended ingredients in a large container. Stir in the salt, dark brown sugar and turmeric.

Grind all the spices in a coffee grinder and stir in to the onion mixture. Add in the chicken and coat with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Soak the bamboo skewers in water for 15 minutes. Skewer three pieces of meat on each. Set aside.

Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat.

Pound the white part of the lemongrass stalk with the back of a knife to make it resemble a brush. Dip the lemongrass "brush" in the peanut sauce oil and brush both sides of the skewers. Grill the skewers, flipping once, until cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes.

Ingredients
  • 1/8 cup chopped garlic
  • 1/8 cup chopped lemongrass
  • 1/8 cup chopped ginger
  • 1 ¾ cup chopped white onion
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ lb dark brown sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp. ground turmeric
  • 2 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1x1-inch pieces and about 1/4 inch thick
  • 40 6 " bamboo skewers
  • 1 stalk lemon grass
  • ½ tsp. coriander seeds
  • ½ tsp. fennel seeds
  • ½ tsp. cumin seeds
 

Featured Appetizer

Curry Laksa by Erik Cheah, Penang (Lodi), Lodi, NJ

The word laksa derives from the Sanskrit lakhsa, which means "a lot," and refers to a delicious, rich noodle dish that can take two forms: assam laksa, a sweet-and-sour, brothy noodle soup or curry laksa, a thicker, creamier curry, also made with noodles. Most laksas are made with fish, from mackerel to shrimp, and they're often garnished with bean sprouts and fresh mint.

 

Featured Sauce

Peanut Sauce by Zak Pelaccio, Fatty Crab (Upper West Side), New York, NY

This sauce is the traditional accompaniment for Malaysian chicken satay. Exotic flavors such as cumin,  fennel seeds and coriander complement its base of ground peanuts and coconut milk.