My Cookery Page

Nobody really cooks this at home!  At least not in this part of the world, because at every other street, there’s always a satay stall.  In Singapore (and Malaysia), you cannot miss the smell of these barbecued meats on sticks and the smoke that fills up the sidewalks.  In the west where bbq is a favourite social activity, you might like to try this recipe and impress your family and friends.   For those now living away from Singapore, this will trigger fond memories and a longing for something that all Singaporeans connect with

Ingredients A:  1 kg mutton or lamb meat OR beef OR chicken meat (skinless & boneless);  250g sugar; Salt to taste; satay sticks (my personal estimate is 30-40 sticks)

2 tbsp coriander; 1 tbsp cumin; 1 tbsp fennel; thumbsized fresh ginger; thumbsized fresh turmeric; 2 stalks of lemon grass; 4 cloves of garlic  - to blend all ingredients

Ingredients B :  1 tsp sugar; 1 tbsp water; 1 tbsp oil; 1 candlenut (pound) - to mix together all ingredients

Ingrediets C (Sauce):  600g peanuts (to be fried)with a bit of oil); 60g tamarind ; 240g sugar; 2 stalks of lemon grass (bruised); 1 inch lgalangal (bruised); some cooking oil
30 dried chillis; 3 large onions; 6 cloves of garlic; 8 candlenuts; 1 inch fresh turmeric ; 40g shrimp - to blend all ingredients.
Method :  Wash and drain the meat. Slice meat thinly, but after slicing, do not wash again.  Mix well all  blended ingredients, sugar and salt.  Marinate for 2 to 3 hours and keep covered in the fridge.  Then remove from fridge and thread slices of meat onto satay sticks / skewers.   Prepare grill, whether gas or charcoal, grill the satays on stick using Ingredients B to baste them.   Satays are done when they turn golden brown and are crispy on the edge.  Serve with onions, cucumbers, and satay sauce.    It is important to eat satay with this sauce, they come together.
Method to make the sauce:   Blend peanuts but not too finely.  Squeeze tamarind with 6 cups of water and drain.  Heat oil in a saucepan.  Saute blended ingredients till fragrant.  Add lemon grass and galangal.  Add in tamarind water.  Mix well.  Add sugar and salt.  Add peanuts and cook till it simmers over medium heat.  Constantly stir the sauce to avoid being burnt.  Cook till sufficiently thickened.     The sauce will usually taste better  a day after cooking.