Satay - Grill Meat Skewer

The word "satay" has an Indonesian-Malayan origin. As a significant population comprises Muslim, chicken has become the most common meat use in making Southeast Asian skewer. Chicken is also acceptable to the Hindu Indians and Balinese in this region who are prohibited to eat beef. This recipe is quite similar to the southern Thai "sate".

For a serving of 5 to 6, use 300 - 500 g of chicken fillet, preferably thigh meat (which has more bite and is juicier and doesn't dry out easily compared to breast meat). Cut into rectangular bite size. Marinate for at least 2 hours.

Marinade
Pepper powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Tamarind juice - 1 tsp ready made from the bottle or make from soaking 2 cm of tamarind & strain
* Tip : must have, to tenderise and infuse a complex tangy taste to the meat before cooking
Tumeric powder 1/4 tsp (* Tip : go easy on this spice - it can overwhelm the whole dish)
Lemongrass (1 piece from the white portion - pound finely)
Galangal (1/2 cm slice, pound finely)
Garlic (1 clove, pounded finely)
Salt 3/4 tsp
Dark soy sauce (runny type)

Peanut Sauce
Thick caramel dark soy sauce (ketchup manis)  2 TBS
Peanut (roughly pounded)  1 cup

Sugar 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Garlic clove (1 pound with chilli and shallot)
Shallot bulb (1 small onion)
Dried chilli - 2 pieces (soaked, cut, deseed and grind into paste with the above shallot and garlic)
Shrimp paste (toasted Malaysian type or soft Thai version straight from the tub) - only 1/2 tsp is needed
Coconut milk (thick) 400 g or dilute 300 g of cream - from experience, only Ayam and Kara made the cut

Method
1. Soak bamboo sticks in water to reduce burning
2. Skewer the meat in an elongated fashion to ensure easy grilling.
3. Only a little oil goes a long way because the meat has some fat (peanut, palm or rice) or any with high boiling point. Enough oil just to prevent the meat from becoming dark and burnt.
4. Grill over open fire on the BBQ or in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
5. Turn the skewer and ensure that the meat is cooked evenly on both sides.
6. Meanwhile, boil all the ingredients for peanut sauce.

Traditional satay is served with another dipping sauce. Another secret to give away.

Relish / Sauce : Mix pineapple cube and Spanish onion with a bit of salt, sugar and rice vinegar.

When the satay is cooked, arrange on a large dish.

Serve with cut cucumber and all the sauces mentioned.

Rice cubes (compressed rice traditionally wrapped in leaves "basket" is good to have. This is as authentic as it can get.

Green Papaya Salad - Variations (Thai, Lao and Vietnamese)

Basic Ingredients : thinly sliced papaya, green snake beans, fried dried shrimp, cherry tomato

Dressing : tamarind water boiled with palm sugar; lime juice, fish sauce

Spices : roughly pounded fresh bird's eye chillies

Essential tools : (1) sharp cleaver or cheat by using modern shredder  (2) clay mortar and wooden pestle

Modern Thai using deep fried soft shell crab is very popular among hip restaurants. Moderately spicy and impressive in presentation.

Lao and Northeast Thai version is the "original" . Hence, it is expectedly fiery, tongue numbing, tear jerking and gut burning. Contains fermented tiny crab which is very pungent. Needs to rinse with water and down lots of milk. Not for the faint hearted.

Vietnamese version is less spicy and uses mainly vinegar for dressing, a tad too bland for my liking.

Cabbage and carrots are sometimes added but it changes the authenticity of the traditional recipe.

Pomelo Salad

Pomelo is a large citrus fruit that encapsulates many flavours of sweet, sour, bitterness. It is great for salad and dessert.

Refer to similar Grapefruit Salad with Thai dressing.

http://homecooksecrets.blogspot.com.au/2009/01/grapefruit-salad-with-thai-dressing.html

Special Potato Salad with generous helping of greens

Ingredients for Potato Salad

4 medium sized potatoes
1 brown onion : peeled and chopped finely
Green Shallots (1 or 2 stalks) - sliced finely
Mustard powder : ½ tsp
Mayonnaise : 2 TBS
Vinegar or lemon juice (2 tsp)
Chives (English) - cut into 2 mm length
Parsley – chopped finely (can be substituted with dried parsley flakes)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional : 2 pieces of ham or bacon



1. Bring potatoes to the boil gradually in a saucepan of water. Do not overcook the spuds. Drain, cool slightly, peel and cut into cubes.
2. Fry onion in olive oil till fragrant.
3. If using ham and bacon, fry till cooked and lightly brown.
4. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar (or lemon juice), salt and pepper.
5. Add potato to fried onion, then mix with the creamed salad dressing.
6. Sprinkle ham/bacon, parsley, green shallots. Toss and mix well.

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Rojak - tropical fruit and crispy salad with spicy shrimp dressing

The ultimate rojak that has everything in it.

The fruits : green mango (substitute with granny smith green apple if unavailable), pineapple, guava, starfruit, jambu (rose apple).

The vegetables : yam bean (turnip), cucumber, bean sprouts (optional & ensure that water is properly drained after steaming).

The grilled stuff : you tiao (fried dough sticks), tau pok (fried tofu puff), dried flattened cuttlefish.

The secret dressing : the must-haves are tamarind, sesame seed, shrimp paste, sweet sauce, ground fresh chilli, ground cooked dried chilli, etc ...
the others are for you to experiment and figure out. Adjust according to taste and take it easy as the sauce is rich and salty.

Put a medley of vegetable and fruit slices onto a serving plate or bowl. Mix well with the dark dressing. Sprinkle dried ingredients and toss the salad again. Ready to serve.

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