A Sauce
Peanut Sauce - Nam Jim Satay
4 Servings
| 1 | tablespoon | tamarind | |
| 3 | tablespoons | sugar | |
| 2-3 | tablespoons | peanut butter | |
| 2 | tablespoons | fish sauce | |
| 1 | tablespoon | red curry paste | |
| 3/4 | cup | coconut milk |
Tips and substitutions
In Thailand, people use peanuts ground up in a mortar instead of peanut butter and the sauce is granular with just a little creaminess. However, I use peanut butter because peanut butter is essentially finely ground peanuts and more convenient and common in American kitchens. The peanut butter I prefer is chunky natural, freshly ground (instead of the brands that have sugar or vegetable oil added). Smooth peanut butter will do too.
In Thailand, people use peanuts ground up in a mortar instead of peanut butter and the sauce is granular with just a little creaminess. However, I use peanut butter because peanut butter is essentially finely ground peanuts and more convenient and common in American kitchens. The peanut butter I prefer is chunky natural, freshly ground (instead of the brands that have sugar or vegetable oil added). Smooth peanut butter will do too.
Add the coconut milk to a cold sauce pan and start to heat it up at medium heat. As it is heating, stir in the curry paste and break the paste into small pieces. Mix well. When you see red oil simmering to the top, add the peanut butter and the rest of ingredients. Stir and taste. You should be able to taste the fish sauce, sugar and tamarind flavors. If it becomes too thick, add a few teaspoons of water to thin the paste.
Serve with satay. Place the sauce on a flat plate for easy dip, saucer dish is the best.
Serve with satay. Place the sauce on a flat plate for easy dip, saucer dish is the best.
Learn more about this and other similarly prepared Category Defying Recipes (Other) recipes
Satay - Satay
This is an easier, and tastier method for making satay than people generally use in Thailand. For some reason the style commonly found on the street there has migrated to using condensed milk, but I prefer it this way. This satay version has fewer, easier to find ingredients and does not compromise the taste.
4 Servings
| 1 | teaspoon | sugar | |
| 1 | teaspoon | salt | |
| 1 | lb | pork | |
| 2 | tablespoons | curry powder | |
| 1/2 | cup | coconut milk | |
| bamboo skewer |
Tips and substitutions
The pork should be yellowish in color. Sometimes there is not enough tumeric in curry powder. If you like the brighten up the color for presentation, add a dash of tumeric.
The pork should be yellowish in color. Sometimes there is not enough tumeric in curry powder. If you like the brighten up the color for presentation, add a dash of tumeric.
Soak bamboo skewers at least half an hour so that the ends do not burn on the grill. Slice the pork into thin strips (about 1/4 of an inch thick) that will fit onto the skewers. Marinade the pork and curry powder, sugar, coconut milk and salt for the same amount of time that you soak the skewers (I do both at the same time). For a shorter marinade time, I massage all the seasonings into the sliced pork for a couple minutes.
Thread the pork onto the bamboo skewers. When you get the skewers at a restaurant, the meat is normally stretched out flat. While this looks nice, I find that stuffing the skewers gives me a moister, tastier result that is tenderer than when it is stretched tight.
In Thailand, the satay is grilled on a rectangular, narrow charcoal grill that fits just one row of satay. The charcoal has been burning for a while. It is hot, but not flaming. There should be ashes covering the charcoal so that the satay can be cooked evenly without burning.
Grill and serve with peanut sauce and cucumber in vinegar.
Thread the pork onto the bamboo skewers. When you get the skewers at a restaurant, the meat is normally stretched out flat. While this looks nice, I find that stuffing the skewers gives me a moister, tastier result that is tenderer than when it is stretched tight.
In Thailand, the satay is grilled on a rectangular, narrow charcoal grill that fits just one row of satay. The charcoal has been burning for a while. It is hot, but not flaming. There should be ashes covering the charcoal so that the satay can be cooked evenly without burning.
Grill and serve with peanut sauce and cucumber in vinegar.
Learn more about this and other similarly prepared Grilling (Yang) recipes
Cucumber in vinegar - Ahjaad
Because of the vinegar, this can sit for days in the refrigerator and stay good.
2 Servings
| 1/3 | cup | water | |
| 1/3 | cup | vinegar | |
| 1/4 | cup | sugar | |
| 2 | shallots, thinly sliced | ||
| 1 | cucumber, quartered and thinly sliced | ||
| 1 | long hot pepper, sliced | Optional |
Tips and substitutions
In Thailand, we use long red peppers that are mild, but I have a hard time finding ones that come close in flavor to it here.
You can cut back on the sugar if you like.
In Thailand, we use long red peppers that are mild, but I have a hard time finding ones that come close in flavor to it here.
You can cut back on the sugar if you like.
Place all ingredients in a serving bowl. Chill and serve.
Learn more about this and other similarly prepared Category Defying Recipes (Other) recipes
