Satay Kai - Chicken Satay

- Serves 5
​Simple and extremely easy to make, my Thai chicken satay and peanut sauce are two recipes I go back to time and time again, whether it’s for a barbecue or served as a complete meal with one of my favorite fried rice recipes, Nasi Goreng. Don’t be shocked by the use of sweet condensed milk in the marinade - it’s a recipe I learnt from a famous Thai chef in Bangkok and has been an absolute game changer. The extra sugars in condensed milk don’t just impart sweetness to the chicken but also help give it a beautiful char during the cooking process (just remember to scrape your non-stick pan in between batches). Thai curry powder is another secret ingredient here; it’s mild yet packed with flavor. If you are in Singapore, Thai curry powder is available at Golden Mile Thai supermarket on Beach Road, otherwise simply replace it with curry powder of your choice (reduce quantity if using hot curry powder).

Ingredients for Satay Kai - Chicken Satay

900g thighs, cut into 1" wide strips
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons curry powder, preferably Thai curry powder (available at Golden Mile supermarket on Beach Road)
1/2 cup condensed milk
1/2 tablespoon white sugar, optional 
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons coconut oil, for frying
Satay sauce
2 tablespoons Thai Massaman curry paste or red curry paste (available in supermarkets and at Golden Mile)
1 cup coconut cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar or palm sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups coconut milk
1 tablespoon lemon/lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 cup coarsely ground roasted peanuts

Recipe
  1. Mix together cumin, curry powder, white sugar, salt and condensed milk. Pour over chicken strips, mix well and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before using. Bring chicken back to room temperature before cooking.
  2. To cook satay, heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large non-stick frying pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until slightly charred and cooked through. Scrape the pan after each batch and discard charred bits. 
  3. Satay can also be put on skewers and grilled for 4-6 minutes. Brush them with coconut oil and turn occasionally until slightly charred and cooked through. 
Satay sauce:
  1. In a wok on medium-high flame, fry curry paste and coconut cream until oil separates.
  2. Add palm sugar, salt, coconut milk, and stir gently until it comes to a boil.
  3. Pour in lemon juice, ground cumin and ground peanuts, stir and cook on medium flame for a few minutes until sauce thickens and oil surfaces. Serve hot with grilled satay.
​Note: Some brands of coconut cream have stabilizers and therefore won’t split and produce oil, which is still acceptable. If this happens, just cook the cream and curry paste until fragrant, then add coconut milk.
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