The House of Spices

What is Satay?

Satay is a Southeast-Asian dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, tofu, tempeh, potatoes or anything else served alongside a sauce, generally a delicious peanut sauce also known as sambal kacang (in Indonesian). Originating from Javanese cuisine, Satay is one of Indonesia’s national dishes and is eaten worldwide today.

 

Satay has become a popular street food dish and it can be found in street-side tent restaurants, in traditional festival gatherings and even in fine-dining restaurants today! Satay is generally served using wooden/bamboo skewers to give it a rustic appearance. They are usually grilled/barbecued over a wood/charcoal fire and then served with a combination of sweet soy and peanut sauce. Satay can also be served with other sauces including a pineapple based sauce, cucumber relish and many more.

 

What makes this recipe authentic?

Traditional and authentic Satay recipes use a range of ingredients to give it an amazing flavour. They are also grilled using wooden skewers. Without compromising on any ingredient and promising to deliver the best possible Satay you have eaten, my Satay recipe uses ingredients that will give you a burst of flavour, especially when you enjoy this Satay with my peanut sauce (sambal kacang) and warm white rice.  

 

I have enjoyed eating Satay all my life and this Satay has been my absolute favourite recipe till date. Furthermore, unlike modern recipes, I’ve not used any honey, coconut milk, lemon grass, rice vinegar, curry powder/paste or even tomato sauce to make my Satay or peanut sauce! I promise you it’s easy and that you’re here for a treat.

 

How do you serve Satay?

Traditionally, Satay is often served with peanut sauce (sambal kacang), sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) and freshly squeezed lime, alongside rice cake (lontong/ketupat). It is generally garnished with some crispy fried onions (bawang goreng) and accompanied with pickles (acar) consisting of onions, carrots and cucumber in a vinegar, salt and sugar solution. 

 

However, there are so many variations of Satay today! Keeping those traditional roots, and for an authentic experience, I’ve served my Satay with my peanut sauce (sambal kacang) and some sweet soy sauce, topped with fried onions and/or spring onions, as well as freshly squeezed lime. You can enjoy them warm on its own (as an appetizer) or serve them with some warm regular rice or rice cake (lontong/ketupat) on the side. If you don’t consume rice, you can eat it with some quinoa or couscous too.

 

Do I need wooden skewers to make Satay?

If you’re intending to grill the Satay, you’ll need skewers! If you don’t have wooden skewers, you can use metal skewers instead. If you plan to bake the Satay, you don’t need skewers. You can bake the Satay on a baking tray directly. However, for an authentic Indonesian experience, I would recommend using skewers!

 

Can I bake the Satay in an oven instead?

If you don’t have a grill at home, you can bake the Satay in an oven instead (I recommend metal skewers in this case). If you don’t have skewers, you can still bake them directly using an oven try. Bake them at 220 degrees celsius (fan oven) for about 20-30 minutes, flipping them halfway.  It might take longer depending on your oven. If you are baking the Satay, don’t forget to brush them with oil and some sweet soy sauce, just the same way you would if you were grilling them. Once they are ready, you can char your Satay over an open flame or using a blow torch!

 

Can I make the Satay in a pan?

Ideally you would want to grill or bake them, but if you don’t have access to a grill nor an oven, you can cook them in a pan over high heat with a tablespoon or two of oil. Once they’re ready, char them with the help of an open flame or using a blow torch.

 

What types of Satay can I make with this recipe?

This recipe calls for tofu and tempeh Satay; however, you can make this with anything else including baby potatoes and soy/mock meat (seitan). If you consume meat, you can use this recipe to make chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork or fish Satay!

 

How long and why do you need to marinate the Satay for?

The Satay needs to be marinated for at least 24 hours before being grilled. This allows all the flavours to infuse into the tofu and tempeh. If you don’t give the marination enough time, the tofu and tempeh will not taste as flavourful - you will have a pungent flavour on the outside and a flavourless experience when you bite in!

 

Can I air fry or deep fry my Satay?

Absolutely NOT! Satay is meant to be grilled/barbecued. You can’t fry it. Please check out my tofu popcorn recipe if you’re looking for something that can be air or deep fried!

 

Can I make the Satay in advance?

Absolutely! You need to marinate the tofu and tempeh for at least 24 hours in order for the marinade to diffuse inside. You can also store it in the freezer for days and then grill it whenever you want!

 

Any substitute for the ingredients mentioned?

Unfortunately, to make the Satay authentic and for the perfect marinade, you need all these ingredients. Having said that, you can substitute tofu and tempeh with baby potatoes or soy/mock meat (seitan) if you want. However, the other ingredients cannot be substituted!

 

Any cooking tips for this recipe?

1. Make sure to give the marination sufficient time before grilling the Satay.

2. Use wooden or metal skewers if you have them at home!

3. If you are grilling the Satay, make sure you cook it until charred! Keep monitoring your flame as you don’t want the Satay to burn.

4. Don’t forget to brush the Satay with some oil and sweet soy sauce while it’s being grilled!