IndonesiaSoutheast Asia

Sate Ayam

Name: Sate Ayam
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 680 g Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless), cut into 2 cm cubes; 3 tbsp Soy sauce (all-purpose), simmered with 3 tbsp brown sugar into a sweet soy; 3 tbsp Light brown sugar, packed, for the sweet soy; 4 cloves Garlic, grated; 2 for the marinade, 2 for the sauce; 1 tsp Ground coriander; ½ tsp Ground turmeric; 1 tbsp Vegetable oil; 150 g Roasted peanuts, for the sauce; 2 tsp Sambal oelek; 2 tbsp Light brown sugar, packed, for the peanut sauce; 1 tbsp Soy sauce (all-purpose), for the peanut sauce; 2 Lime, 1 juiced for the sauce, 1 cut into wedges; 60 g Shallot, thinly sliced, for serving; 1 Cucumber, sliced, for serving (optional)

1 hr 30 minServes 4$45.07

Cubes of chicken thigh are marinated in sweet soy, garlic, coriander, and turmeric, threaded onto skewers, and grilled until charred at the edges, then served with peanut sauce, lime, and sliced shallot. The sweet soy is made at home from soy sauce and brown sugar, and light brown sugar stands in for palm sugar in the sauce.

Ingredients

680 gChicken thighs (boneless, skinless)cut into 2 cm cubesBuy 1.5 lb
3 tbspSoy sauce (all-purpose)simmered with 3 tbsp brown sugar into a sweet soyBuy 1 bottle
3 tbspLight brown sugarpacked, for the sweet soyBuy 1 bag
4 clovesGarlicgrated; 2 for the marinade, 2 for the sauceBuy 1 head
1 tspGround corianderBuy 1 jar
½ tspGround turmericBuy 1 jar
1 tbspVegetable oilBuy 1 bottle
150 gRoasted peanutsfor the sauceBuy 1 bag
2 tspSambal oelekBuy 1 jar
2 tbspLight brown sugarpacked, for the peanut sauce
1 tbspSoy sauce (all-purpose)for the peanut sauce
2Lime1 juiced for the sauce, 1 cut into wedges
60 gShallotthinly sliced, for servingBuy 0.14 lb
1Cucumber (optional)sliced, for serving

Substitutions

Soy sauce (all-purpose) in place of “Kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce), 3 tbsp”. Kecap manis is made at home by simmering soy sauce with brown sugar, because bottled kecap manis is not stocked at the reference store; the homemade sauce is thinner and less molasses-like.
Light brown sugar in place of “Palm sugar (gula jawa)”. Light brown sugar is used because palm sugar is unpriced at the reference store; both are caramel-toned sugars used here to sweeten the peanut sauce.

Method

Simmer the 3 tbsp soy sauce with the 3 tbsp brown sugar until syrupy, about 3 minutes; cool.
Toss the chicken with half the sweet soy, 2 cloves of the garlic, the coriander, turmeric, and oil and marinate at least 1 hour; soak wooden skewers in water.
For the sauce, blend the peanuts, the remaining garlic, sambal oelek, the remaining brown sugar and soy sauce, the juice of 1 lime, and about 2/3 cup hot water until thick and fairly smooth.
Thread the chicken onto the skewers and grill over high heat, basting with the remaining sweet soy and turning, until charred and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve with the peanut sauce, lime wedges, shallot, and cucumber if using.