satay chicken inspired dish

I promised some more savoury recipes on the blog, so here it goes! I love Thai Satay so much. It's a delicious recipe which involves strips of chicken or beef that are marinated in a spicy paste, and then are skewered and grilled. Generally it is served with peanut sauce. It's so good. However, marinating the meat can take up to 24 hours, and I thought I'd share an easier, faster recipe for you today. This one involves most of the same ingredients but is also simply served on spiced rice (you can serve it on coconut flavoured rice too if you prefer!) and I added peppers to the mix. It was so delicious and I'm sure you'll enjoy it! 

Happy cooking!

Ingredients: 

Meat

8 boneless chicken thighs cut into small, thin pieces

Sauce

1/4 cup minced fresh lemongrass

1/4 onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 thumb-size piece ginger, thinly sliced or grated 

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons cumin

3 tablespoons dark soy sauce 

3 tablespoons fish sauce

6 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Vegetables

1/4 onion, chopped

1 pepper

Rice 

2 cups Jasmin rice 

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 tablespoon cumin

Instructions: 

1. Place the lemongrass, onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, ginger, turmeric, ground coriander, cumin, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar and vegetable oil in food processor or chopper. Process well. 

2. Test the sauce. You should taste sweet, spicy, and salty. Add more sugar or more fish sauce (in place of salt) to adjust the taste. You also can add more chile if you want a spicier result. 

3. Cut the chicken into small strips. Place the chicken in a bowl with the sauce. Stir well. 

4. Place the chicken in a frying pan with approximately a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes depending on how the meat is. 

5. Boil the rice in a pot. As it steams, fluff the rice with a fork. Add the turmeric and cumin to the rice. Mix well. 

6. In a frying pan, cook the onion and pepper with 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once they are both well cooked, add to the chicken and sauce. 

7. Serve the chicken and peppers with the rice. 

Optional: Add cashews, peanuts, cilantro and/or lime if desired. 

Have fun!