Satay for the meat lovers~

Do you like to eat meat? Do you like grilled meat? Well, most people love eating meat and what's more if it's grilled! If you do love eating meat, you must try one of our Malaysian exotic delicacy - satay. Usually, satay is a popular dish in Malaysia especially during celebrations and could be found throughout the country.

Satay consists of slices of meat on bamboo spine skewers, which are grilled over (usually)charcoal fire. Tumeric is often used to marinate the meat which gives its characteristic yellow colour. We usually have a variety of meat to choose from such as chicken, beef, mutton, pork(available in Malacca and Johor), venison, rabbit meat, ostrich meat and fish.

Satay is usually served with spicy peanut sauce dip, slivers of onions and cucumbers and ketupat. Pork satay can be served with pineapple based sauce. The ketupat is boiled rice wrapped in palm leaves.

The most popular types of ketupat found in Malaysia are ketupat nasi (made with plain rice) and ketupat daun palas (made with glutinous rice). Both varieties are wrapped in palm leaves and then boiled in water until cooked. It is said that ketupat daun palas originated from the northern states of Penang, Kedah and Perlis while ketupat nasi is more popular in Perak.

Satay Ingredients:

• 1 lb. meat- chicken, beef or pork
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup shallots
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 inch piece turmeric root
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• about 35 bamboo sticks

Directions:
Cut meat into small thin pieces. Grind together the shallots, garlic, coriander seeds, cumin seeds & turmericuntil very fine. Combine ground spices with salt & sugar. Season meat with the ground spices and let marinate overnight(in a refrigerator of course).

When you are ready to grill soak the bamboo sticks in water so they won't burn, skewer the meat with the sticks, don't overcrowd.

Grill satay sticks over a charcoal fire (barbeque grill), basting occasionally with oil using lemon grass, smash and flatten to resemble a brush. Turn the skewers often to avoid the meat from getting burnt.

Ketupat ingredients:

• Rice, washed and drained- 2 cups
  
• Water - 4 cups
• Pandan(screwpine) leaves - 2
  
• Palm leaves(usually that is how they serve it in the picture shown above)

Directions:
Cook rice in water with a pandan leaves. When rice is soft, transfer it to a shallow square or rectangular dish.

Place a layer of plastic wrap over it. Place a folded clean dish cloth over it to compress the rice downwards until the dish is firmly packed. Put weight over the rice layer by placing a tray to fit and put some weights on it such as any can food.

Allow the rice to firm up into cake and cool it overnight in the refrigerator. Turn it out and cut into 2inches cubes.

Spicy Peanut Sauce ingredients:'

• Dry roasted peanuts - 2 cups
• Peanut oil or canola - 1/3 cup
• Water - 2-3 cups
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Tamarind Paste juice - 4 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Spice paste:

• Dried chillies, soaked in hot water - 6-8
• Garlic - 6 cloves
• Shallots - 6
  
• Candlenute(kemiri nuts) or macadamia nuts - 3
• Lemon grass stalks - 3
• Galangal(a type of ginger, a.k.a thai ginger) - 1 inch piece
• Coriander - 2 tbsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Directions:
Crush peanuts coarsely. Chop spice paste ingredients and blend until fine.
Heat oil and fry the spice paste with tamarind juice until fragrant on medium high heat. Add water slowly to thin mixture. Add sugar, salt and peanuts and stir frequently for 3-5 minutes.

Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or longer, stirring every few minutes until oil begins to separate. Taste and don't be afraid to add any extra ingredients to achieve the level of sweetness, tartness or heat you prefer. Serve sauce with sticks of satay, ketupat and sliced cubes of fresh cucumber and red onions.

Hope you'll enjoy the recipe~!