Satay Sauce
This goes very well with barbequed or grilled brochettes of pork, lamb or chicken.
Overview
A rich, nutty sauce combining crunchy peanut butter with exotic spice and tamarind acidity. The coconut milk creates silky body while chilli provides subtle heat, making this Southeast Asian classic perfect for grilled savoury brochettes.
Ingredients
Base
- 8 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
Flavourings
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons tamarind liquid
Heat & body
- a generous pinch of chilli powder
- a little coconut milk to bind the sauce
Method
Stage 1 - Heat peanut butter
- Put the peanut butter into a saucepan with 100 ml of water and heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon.
- As soon as it starts to boil, remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients.
Stage 2 - Mix & serve
- Stir until thoroughly mixed, then set aside until ready to use.
- This sauce is best served hot or warm.
Notes
- Peanut butter: Use crunchy peanut butter; smooth results in overly fine texture with no body.
- Tamarind liquid: Essential for authentic flavour; creates sour notes that balance sweetness.
- Coconut milk consistency: Add just enough to achieve desired consistency; more liquid creates thinner sauce.
Serving
Serve hot or warm as a dipping sauce for grilled or barbecued pork, lamb, or chicken brochettes. Also excellent with satay skewers and spring rolls.
Storage
- Keeps refrigerated for 4-5 days in an airtight container.
- Freezes well for up to 2 months.
- Best reheated gently over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add water if thickened upon standing.
More like this
Nhom Trav
A Cambodian banana flower salad, the kind of bright herby starter that opens a Khmer meal. You slice banana flower thin and submerge it immediately in lemon water to stop the browning (banana flower oxidises within seconds of cutting, going from pale ivory to brown). Tofu cubes (or shredded chicken in the non-vegetarian version) join for substance. Peanuts toast in a dry pan; shallots fry crisp in oil. The dressing is lime, palm sugar, soy and chilli pounded together in a mortar, and everything tosses with fresh herbs at the last minute - mint, coriander, Thai basil, whatever is around. Eaten as a starter or alongside grilled meat, the bitter floral note of the banana flower balanced by the salty-sweet dressing and the crunch of peanuts.
Green Beans Amandine
Trimmed green beans blanch in heavily salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes until just tender (still bright green and slightly crisp). Drained but not refreshed if serving immediately, the residual heat is wanted; if making ahead, refresh in ice water to stop cooking. Butter melts in a wide pan; flaked almonds toast in the butter until both go gold-amber together (the butter browns to beurre noisette / hazelnut butter). The blanched beans toss in the butter-almond pan over high heat for 1 minute; finished with a squeeze of lemon, a grind of pepper, optional Dijon mustard or garlic, and chopped parsley.
Lahori Mint Chutney
A bunch of mint and a bunch of coriander are blended with green chilli, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, cumin and a small handful of roasted gram (for body). Thick natural yogurt is folded in at the end. The chutney finishes bright green, sharp and cool; designed to cut through the richness of chargha, boti and chapli kebabs.
Sayur Lodeh
A spice paste of shallots, garlic, candlenuts (or cashews), turmeric and chilli is fried in oil until fragrant. Lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and galangal infuse the coconut milk. Vegetables go in by cooking time, firmer first, leafier last. Tofu joins; everything simmers gently. The broth should be thin, the vegetables tender but not collapsed.