Malaysian Chicken Satay

I've over-done chicken teriyaki in my life and decided to make a satay for grilling at Writer Smurf's party. Never mind that I've only had it a few times at catered events.  It looked good and seemed like a safe bet.

This turned out much easier than I was expecting.  Cut up chicken, whiz marinade in the food processor or blender, marinate for several hours, skewer and grill.  You could do this as a stir-fry or bake if you don't want to light up the grill.

I chose a Malaysian version of satay from Rasa Malaysia.  It isn't spicy, unless you count some serious eye-watering from the shallots.  I cheated on the sauce and bought some Thai peanut satay sauce at Mitsuwa Marketplace.  I needed a bunch of stuff there that was not easily available at the supermarket.  Writer Smurf started looking up nearby houses for sale on Zillow soon after.

Which brings up the lemongrass.  Yes, you can get it in major markets now, either fresh or dried, but it was much cheaper at the Asian market.  So were the shallots, which surprised me.  For 90¢ I got four healthy stalks of lemongrass.  I need to come up with something to do with the rest of it, and will probably just end up drying and turning it into powder.  But even if it goes to waste, it's nowhere near as big a loss as if I'd spent $4 on the same amount at Sprouts.  Ethnic markets are awesome.

3 Tb neutral oil
2 stalks lemongrass, white parts only
*2 cloves garlic, peeled
4-6 small shallots, peeled
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 Tb sugar
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken, cut in bite-sized chunks

1.  If grilling, soak wooden skewers in water for at least 2 hours.  Don't need to start a fire.

2.  Place all ingredients except the chicken, roughly chopped if necessary, in the food processor.  Run until mostly smooth, adding water if too chunky.  Warning, when you open the lid, your eyes will probably start watering.

3.  Place chicken pieces in a gallon plastic freezer bag or a metal bowl.  I don't recommend using a plastic bowl for this, because you're never getting the yellow out.  Pour marinade over the chicken and toss to coat.  Refrigerate for at least 6 hours to marinate.

4.  Thread 3-4 pieces of chicken onto each skewer, if using.  If grilling, cook about 5-8 minutes on each side, depending how large you cut your pieces and the heat of your grill.  For stir-fry, don't use skewers.  Add oil to a skillet on medium-high and cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  To bake, you can still leave them on the skewer, but they won't get charred.  Cook at 350º for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

5.  Serve with a peanut sauce and sides of fresh cucumber and onion, maybe a side of rice.

Serves about 6

Difficulty rating  π