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Nonya Pork Satay
Serves 8 - 12 Prep 15 min Cook 9 min Total 24 min Type Snack Origin Malaysian

Nonya Pork Satay

There are few dishes as delicious as satay, and this dish as among one of the best satay recipes out there. The skewers of spiced meat can be served as snacks, as part of a barbecue or as a light meal.

Serves 8 Prep 15 minutes Cook 9 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Indonesian-style pork satay featuring tender, spiced meat on bamboo skewers with a creamy, complex peanut sauce enriched with coconut milk. The pork is infused with a paste of lemongrass, ground spices, and aromatics, making each bite deeply flavorful. This dish showcases traditional Southeast Asian techniques and is perfect for entertaining.

Ingredients

  • 450 grams pork tenderloin
  • 1 tablespoon soft light brown sugar
  • 1 cm cube shrimp paste
  • 2 lemon grass stalks (trimmed)
  • 2 tablespoon coriander seeds (dry fried)
  • 6 blanched almonds
  • 2 onions (very finely chopped)
  • 4 fresh red chillies (de-seeded and very finely chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 300 ml coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoon peanut oil
  • salt

Method

  1. Soak 8 - 12 bamboo skewers in water for at least 1 hour to prevent them from scorching when they are placed under the grill.
  2. Cut the pork into small chunks, then spread it out in a single layer in a shallow dish.
  3. Sprinkle with the sugar to help release the juices.
  4. Wrap the shrimp paste in tin foil, and dry-fry briefly or warm it on a skewer over a gas flame.
  5. Cut off the lower 5 cm of the lemon grass stalks and chop very finely.
  6. Put the dry-fried coriander seeds in a mortar, and grind to a powder.
  7. Add the nut and chopped lemon grass and pound to a paste.
  8. Transfer the paste to a food processor with the onions, chillies, shrimp paste, turmeric and a little salt and process to a smooth paste.
  9. Add the coconut milk, and briefly mix to combine.
  10. Pour the mixture over the pork, stir well and leave to marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Stage 2 - Grill & Serve

  1. Preheat the grill.
  2. Drain the bamboo skewers and thread 3 - 4 pieces of marinated pork on each skewer.
  3. Cook the skewered meat for 8 - 10 minutes, turning often until tender, basting frequently with the remaining marinade.
  4. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Shrimp paste: Warming it before adding to the paste mellows its intensity while retaining umami depth.
  • Marinade time: Two hours is the minimum; overnight is ideal for deeper flavor penetration.
  • Spice roasting: Dry-frying coriander seeds awakens their aromatic compounds, this is not a step to skip.
  • Pork selection: Use pork tenderloin rather than shoulder for tender, quick-cooking morsels.

Serving

Serve with: Steamed rice, cucumber salad, and lime wedges Garnish with: Fresh cilantro leaves and thin red chilli slices Accompaniment: Extra peanut sauce on the side for dipping

Storage

  • Keeps 2-3 days refrigerated (store meat and sauce separately)
  • Freezes well up to 2 months (freeze marinated meat and separately prepared sauce)
  • Best served warm, though chilled satay is also delicious
  • Reheat gently on the grill, under a broiler, or in a 160°C oven for 5-8 minutes

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