Chicken Satay (Sate Ayam)

Name: Indonesian Chicken Satay (Sate Ayam)
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 5 candlenuts or cashews, or 10 blanched almonds; 5 cloves garlic; 2 fresh chiles, cut into medium chunks; Sea salt; 1 tablespoon ground coriander; Finely ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1/2 cup (75 g) raw peanuts, finely ground; 1 tablespoon kecap manis (or 1 teaspoon sugar), plus more for the sauce; 1 pound 10 ounces (750 g) boneless, skinless dark chicken meat, cut into long strips 1/4-inch (0.5 cm) thick

By Anissa Helou

July 1, 2018

Photo by Kristin Perers

Here is the chicken version of Indonesian satay with a slightly different nut sauce, where the peanuts are mixed with candlenuts. If you can’t find the latter, use cashews or almonds. The dipping sauce here is also used as a marinade to give the meat a more intense flavor. The same sauce can also be used with meat or fish. There are many different dipping sauces, including a quick version made simply by mixing soy sauce with scallions and chile.

Recipe notes

Southern Thai Fried Chicken (Gai Tod Hat Yai)

This is one of the best fried chickens ever. From southern Thailand, gai hat yai is known for its crispy skin, great aromatics, and super juicy meat.

Crispy Baked Wings With Berbere Honey Glaze and Fried Garlic

Berbere is a spicy chile blend that has floral and sweet notes from coriander and cardamom, and when it’s paired with a honey glaze, it sets these wings apart from anything else you’ve ever had.

Eggplant Roasted in Satay Sauce

Among the top tier of sauces is Indonesian satay sauce, because it is the embodiment of joy and life. In fact, this sauce is also trustworthy and highly respectful of whatever it comes into contact with—perhaps it is, in fact, the perfect friend?

Moo Ping (Thai Grilled Pork Skewers)

This version of pork skewers is made in the oven, which tastes just as good, but you could always throw these on the grill for a version closer to the original.

Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Spaghetti)

Spaghetti is a common variation in modern Thai cooking. It’s so easy to work with and absorbs the garlicky, spicy notes of pad kee mao well.

Rotisserie Chicken Congee

Leftover rotisserie chicken finds new purpose in this endlessly comforting dish.

XO Sauce

Developed in the 1980s by a chef in Hong Kong, this sauce is all about umami.

Green Curry Mussels

The mussels here add their beautiful, briny juices into the curry, which turn this into a stunning and spectacular dish.