Destination
Krabi
The story
Thai satay is one of Bangkok's most-loved skewer dishes and a legacy of the Muslim-influenced cooking traditions that shaped Central Thai cuisine: thin strips of chicken, pork or beef marinated overnight in coconut milk, turmeric, coriander seed, cumin, garlic, palm sugar and fish sauce, threaded onto bamboo skewers and grilled over coconut-shell charcoal until deeply charred at the edges. Served with three accompaniments that are non-negotiable: a rich peanut sauce built on peanuts, red curry paste, coconut milk and palm sugar; a cucumber-and-onion pickle (achat) that cuts the richness; and small triangles of toasted white bread for scooping up the peanut sauce. Sold at every Bangkok street cart from Silom Road to Sukhumvit and at every Thai restaurant abroad — satay is Thailand's most-exported skewer dish.
Method
Whisk all marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the sliced meat and toss thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours (overnight is ideal).
Whisk vinegar, sugar, salt and water. Add cucumber, red onion and chilies. Rest at least 30 minutes.
Warm oil in a saucepan. Fry the red curry paste 3 minutes until fragrant. Add half the coconut milk; simmer 5 minutes until thickened. Add ground peanuts, palm sugar, fish sauce, tamarind. Simmer 10 minutes, adding more coconut milk to reach a heavy pourable consistency. Off the heat, stir in lime juice and salt. Taste and adjust.
Weave 3 or 4 pieces of marinated meat onto each soaked skewer, threading them so the meat sits flat.
Heat a charcoal grill until coals are white-ashy. A heavy cast-iron ridged pan on high heat is the practical indoor substitute.
Grill the skewers 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once or twice, until charred at the edges and cooked through. Baste with any leftover marinade during grilling.
Toast the bread slices in a dry pan or under a grill until golden. Cut into triangles.
Arrange 4 to 5 skewers per plate. Serve with a small dish of peanut sauce, a small dish of cucumber achat, and 2 or 3 triangles of toasted bread. Scatter with coriander. Serve with lime wedges. Diners dip skewers in peanut sauce, use bread to scoop extra sauce, and refresh with pickle between bites.
Tips
- Overnight marinade. Eight hours minimum for the coconut milk and spices to fully penetrate the meat.
- Toasted bread is classical. This is the Thai signature — Malaysian and Indonesian satay don't have this. Do not skip.
- Grind peanuts, don't peanut butter. Freshly-ground roasted peanuts give a specific coarse texture and richer flavour. Peanut butter is a practical shortcut.
- Cucumber achat pickle. The sharp-sweet pickle balances the rich peanut sauce. Do not serve without.
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