Okay, so I was planing on giving you the next instalment of The A-Z of Cooking this week.  But, my plans went awry in much the same way as my life seems to be going awry. So Balinese Chicken Satay Skewers it is!  Not that I’m complaining (and nor should you be) because I know what is coming  up next from the A-Z and believe me, even though I haven’t made it yet?   I strongly feel that we are onto a winner, winner chicken dinner with the Balinese Chicken Skewers.

I love chicken satay skewers and have been making these regularly since my return.  The recipe provided below is based on the one we learned at Ketut’s Bali Cooking Class in Ubud.  Sadly it is not as good.  Possibly because it is not cooked in an open air kitchen overlooking rice paddies and cooked over coconut shells:

Nor were the spices hand ground in the traditional way:

Also, the Balinese have about forty types of ginger and here, we have one. However, whilst these won’t absolutely transport you to Bali, they are utterly delicious! How could it not be?  I am a big fan of pretty much any meat on a stick.  Here, the marinated chicken remains tender and juicy after grilling

And the spicy peanut sauce is a perfect accompaniment.  I bought a tiny terracotta Balinese grill, however, I cooked these in the oven.  I really like my terracotta friend though!

Here he is again!

Ketut suggested that you serve your chicken satay skewers with white or yellow rice.  In the first photo above, I served mine the way my Malaysian friend Aiden serves his – with a very simple salad of cucumber and red onion.  Simply stab the tip of the skewer into the cubes of cucumber and onion and then into the sauce.   So good!

My favourite way of eating these is in a wrap (more traditionally a roti) with some tomato, cucumber, onion and coriander salad and sprinkled with extra peanuts!

Just looking at these photos is making me want to make them again, right now!  So, here’s the recipe!

Balinese Chicken Satay Skewers

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Perfectly grilled chicken and a spicy peanut sauce is a match made in heaven!

• Author: Taryn Fryer

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For The Skewers

• 500g chicken breast

For The Marinade

• 3 tbsp chopped shallots
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 4 tbsp sweet soy sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 5 tbsp coconut oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For The Peanut Sauce

• 300g peanuts
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 4 shallot cloves
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tbsp red chilli (more / less to taste)
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tbsp coconut milk
• 1 tbsp ginger

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Instructions

For The Chicken

1. Mix the marinade ingredients together.
2. If using wooden skewers, soak these in water to prevent them burning.
3. Cut the chicken into cubes and marinate 15 minutes.
4. Thread onto skewers.
5. Grill until browned and cooked through, basting with the leftover marinade.

For The Peanut Sauce

1. Fry the peanuts until golden brown. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Drain off most but not all of the oil.
2. Grind the chillies, garlic, shallots, palm sugar and ginger in a food processor or mortar and pestle until they form a paste. Add the peanuts and grind to a paste again.
3. Place the peanut paste into a pan. Add the chicken stock and coconut milk.
4. Add the sweet soy to taste.
5. Bring to the boil.
6. Simmer until thick and season with salt and pepper.
7. Add the lime juice to taste.

Have a wonderful week!  I’ll be back, next week possibly with something quixotic and quaint  that hopefully will not leave me feeling too queasy!

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