About this Dish
Malaysian satay uses a more complex marinade than Thai — turmeric, lemongrass, galangal and coriander — and its thicker, richer peanut sauce. Eaten at pasar malam (night markets) across Malaysia, cooked over charcoal. The Kajang area near Kuala Lumpur is considered the satay capital.
IngredientsServes 4
🍗Chicken thighs, 600g boneless, cut into 2cm cubes
🌿Lemongrass, 3 stalks, white parts only, finely sliced
🫚Galangal, 2cm piece, peeled and roughly chopped
🟡Turmeric powder, 1½ tsp
🌰Roasted peanuts, 200g unsalted
🧅Shallots, 6 small, peeled
🌶️Dried red chillies, 8, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
🥥Coconut milk, 200ml
🍬Palm sugar or brown sugar, 3 tbsp
🍋Tamarind paste, 2 tbsp mixed with 4 tbsp warm water
Method
1
Blend the lemongrass, galangal, shallots, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder, a pinch of salt and 2 tbsp oil in a small blender or pestle and mortar until you get a smooth paste.2
Coat the chicken cubes thoroughly in the marinade paste, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight — the longer the better for deep flavour.3
To make the peanut sauce, blend the soaked dried chillies, remaining shallots and 2 garlic cloves into a paste, then fry in 2 tbsp oil over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the palm sugar, tamarind water, coconut milk and blended roasted peanuts, then simmer on low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens to a rich, scoopable consistency. Season with salt to taste.4
Thread 4–5 chicken pieces tightly onto soaked bamboo skewers, keeping the meat compact so it stays juicy on the grill.5
Cook the skewers over a hot charcoal grill or griddle pan, turning every 2 minutes and basting lightly with a little coconut milk mixed with sugar to get a beautiful caramelised char — about 10–12 minutes total until cooked through.6
Serve immediately with the warm peanut sauce, compressed rice cakes (nasi himpit) or plain rice, sliced cucumber and raw shallot rings on the side.User Reviews
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