Um, yum. This was a gorgeous take on an Indonesian Satay that is usually served on skewers. I didn’t have time to chop and thread, so I thought I would use tender chicken thigh fillets instead. By all means, use chicken breast if you prefer but I just find that it dries out easily and the thigh is where all the flavour is at. I served this dish with a creamy coconut rice and a quick pickle of cucumber and radish because it really cuts through the richness of the cashew satay sauce. It was perfect for the Barbie although it would be equally good, pan seared and then finished off in the oven. I just like to make my Husband work for his meals and the barbecue is his domain, most of the time.

 

To make the coconut rice, I use the absorption method but substitute about two thirds of the water content with coconut milk. So, use 1 cup of jasmine rice to 1 cup of coconut milk and 1/2 a cup of water, bring it to the boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for 12 minute. Then allow to rest, with the lid on for 5 minutes. Make sure to season it with plenty of salt and pepper when you fluff it with a fork, it’s delicious!

 

Prep time: 25 Minutes Cooking time: 25 Minutes Marinade time: Min 1 Hour $$ Medium Budget

 

Serves 4

 

 

8 chicken thigh fillets, excess fat removed

3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 tbs of grated ginger

2 tbs of peanut oil

2 tbs of dark soy sauce

1 tsp of ground turmeric

1/2 tsp of ground black pepper

1/4 tsp of ground nutmeg or 1/4 of a fresh nutmeg grated

Sea salt

Coriander leaves, chilli slices and lime wedges to serve

 

For the Satay Sauce

 

200gm of roasted, unsalted cashews

150ml of coconut milk

1 fresh red chilli, roughly chopped (seeds removed if you like less heat)

3 garlic cloves

3cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

6 coriander stems, roughly chopped

1/4 cup of dark soy sauce

1 tbs of brown sugar

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbs of fish sauce

 

 

For the Quick Pickle

 

1 punnet of baby cukes, halved diagonally (lebanese cucumber is fine too)

4 large radish, sliced very thinly

2 tbs of rice wine vinegar

1 tbs of caster sugar

A pinch or two of sea salt

 

 

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, peanut oil, dark soy, turmeric, black pepper, nutmeg and salt. Mix well, whisking with a fork to combine.

 

Place the thigh fillets between two sheets of baking paper and give them a light bash with a rolling pin. This will ensure that they cook more evenly. Place them in a dish and pour over the marinade. Shuffle the thighs around with a spoon to make sure they are evenly coated and then pop them in the fridge far at least one hour or overnight if you wish.

 

To make the satay, place the roasted cashews, garlic, ginger, fresh chilli, coriander stems and the coconut milk in a blender and blitz until you have a fine paste. Use a spatula to spoon it into a medium sized saucepan, add the soy, sugar, lime and fish sauce. Stir to combine and while stirring, allow the mixture to come to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and stir frequently (to prevent sticking) for a few minutes to allow the aromatics to cook. You can add a little water to thin it out if you think the mixture is getting too thick. Have a taste and if the seasoning is perfect and the garlic and ginger taste cooked, not raw (you will know the difference) remove from the heat. You can reheat for a minute or so before serving.

 

To make the pickle, whisk together the rice wine vinegar, caster sugar and salt until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cubes and radish and toss to combine. Set aside.

 

 

Heat the BBQ plate or a pan until nice and hot. Sear the chicken on both sides and then either place in a 180°C oven to cook through for approximately 20 minutes or lower the heat slightly on the BBQ and bring the hood down, turning the chicken periodically over 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Once cooked, remove from the BBQ or oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. This is a good time to reheat the sauce.

 

 

To plate the dish, spoon coconut rice into a ramekin and invert onto 4 serving plates. I do this as it is a great way to control your portion of rice. Place a couple of tablespoons of satay sauce next to the rice and swipe it with the back of the spoon, to spread it out. Top with a couple of thigh fillets and scatter over coriander leaves and chilli slices. Divide the pickle and serve with lime wedges.

 

 

Leftover Cashews? You may like to cook this:

 

 

https://emsfoodforfriends.com.au/spiced-cauliflower-steaks-split-pea-dahl/