Samui sunshine plates

Recipe | Satay gai / Chicken Satay

Ingredients: (makes 20 skewers):

Chicken skewers:

500g chicken fillet, sliced into strips

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 cardamom pod

3 stalks lemon grass (tender white hearts only)

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 3 cm turmeric

1 tsp coconut powder

100ml coconut milk

Peanut sauce:

2 tbsp Massaman curry paste

250 ml coconut milk

1 tbsp palm sugar

2 tbsp tamarind water

1 tsp fish sauce

1/2 cup ground peanuts

Side salad:

1 cucumber

2-3 red shallots

1-2 red chilies

Coriander leaves

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp white vinegar

Method:

1. Roast the coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant. Pound it using a mortar and a pestle until fine.

2. Add coconut powder, lemongrass, garlic, turmeric, cardamom and pound to a paste.

3. Moisten with the coconut milk and add chicken fillet.

4. Marinate for at least an hour, or overnight.

5. Divide meat into 20 portions and skewer on soaked bamboo sticks.

6. Prepare sauce. Place a little oil in a frying pan and add a little tamarind water.

7. Add the Massaman curry paste and stir to dissolve the paste. Add the palm sugar and fish sauce.

8. Add the coconut milk and adjust seasoning to taste.

9. Finally, stir in the ground peanuts, cook a little more to thicken and serve in little bowls.

10. To make the dressing for side salad, cook sugar and vinegar together until sugar melts. Let cool, then pour over cucumber and shallots. Garnish with coriander leaves and chili.