Sate Ayam (Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce)

1Preparation

1. Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes so they do not burn on the grill.
2. Mix the chicken with the sweet soy sauce, garlic, grated shallot, coriander, lime juice, oil and salt.
3. Cover the chicken and leave it in the fridge for 1 hour to absorb the marinade.
4. Grind the peanuts in a food processor until coarse like sand, not a smooth paste.
5. Thread 4–5 pieces of chicken onto each skewer without packing them too tightly.

2Cooking

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the shallots, garlic and red chilies until soft.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 4 min timer
2. Pound the mixture or blend it with a little of the water until smooth.

   ⏱ 2 min timer
3. Return it to the pan with the ground peanuts, remaining water, sweet soy sauce and palm sugar, and stir until the sauce thickens and a little oil shows on the surface.

   🔥 low heat⏱ 8 min timer
4. Stir in the lime juice and salt, taste, then take the sauce off the heat.
5. Grill the skewers over very high heat, turning every 2 minutes, until the edges are caramelised and the chicken is cooked through.

   🔥 high heat⏱ 10 min timer

3Serving

1. Arrange the skewers on a serving plate and spoon some of the peanut sauce over them.
2. Serve with the rest of the sauce, the sliced shallots, lime wedges and plain rice.

💡 Tips & common mistakes

• Common mistake: cutting the chicken too large — the sweet soy sauce burns outside before the inside is cooked. Small pieces are the secret of satay.
• Brush the skewers with a little leftover marinade halfway through grilling for a glossy coating.
• If the sauce thickens as it cools, stir in a spoonful of hot water.

🔁 Substitutions

• No grill: use the oven grill (broiler) on its highest setting, turning the skewers.
• Sweet soy sauce: regular soy sauce mixed with 1 tbsp brown sugar per tbsp.
• Chicken thighs: chicken breast, grilled for a little less time.