cumin seeds
½ teaspoon salt
1½ tablespoons oil
Peanut Sauce
2 teaspoons oil
2-3 bird's-eye chilies
3 red finger-length chilies
3 cloves garlic, minced
200 g (11/3 cups) unsalted peanuts, dry-roasted and skinned
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
250 ml (1 cup) hot water
Sweet Soy Dip
2 teaspoons oil
90 ml (1/3 cup) sweet Indonesian soy sauce
1 red finger-length chili, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 To make the Marinade, soak the tamarind pulp in the warm water for 5 minutes. Mash with the fingers and strain to obtain juice. Grind the garlic, shallots, coriander seeds, cumin, salt and tamarind juice to a smooth paste in a blender. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the oil. Add the cubed chicken, mix well and set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2 To prepare the Peanut Sauce, heat the oil in a small saucepan. Cook the chilies and garlic over low to medium heat, stirring frequently until soft, about 5 minutes. Put into a food processor with the peanuts salt and palm sugar or brown sugar, and process briefly so that the peanuts are still chunky. Add the hot water and process again briefly to make a thick sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl.
3 To prepare the Sweet Soy Dip, combine the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
4 Thread 4 to 5 chicken cubes onto each skewer. Grill under a broiler or over a barbecue grill until golden brown on both sides and cooked, about 5 minutes. Serve with dipping bowls of the Peanut Sauce and Sweet Soy Dip.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 35-40 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Grilled Prawn Satays (Sate Udang)
700 g (1½ lbs) large fresh prawns, peeled and deveined, tails intact
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water
Spice Paste
4 candlenuts, dry roasted until golden brown
3-4 red finger-length chilies
1 kaffir lime leaf, sliced
1 cm (½ in) aromatic ginger (kencur) or galangal, peeled and sliced
5 shallots, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon dried shrimp paste, toasted
2 teaspoons palm sugar or dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
¼ cup (60 ml) thick coconut milk
1 Place the peeled prawns in a bowl, toss with the lime juice and set aside to marinate.
2 To make the Spice Paste, grind the candlenuts in a spice grinder or blender briefly until coarsely ground. Add the chilies, lime leaves, aromatic ginger, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste, palm sugar or brown sugar and salt, then process to a smooth paste (add a little of the oil if needed to keep the mixture turning).
3 Heat the oil in a small pan and add the Spice Paste. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer 2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl to cool.
4 When cool, add the prawns and toss to coat well. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Thread 2 to 3 prawns onto each bamboo skewer.
5 Barbecue or grill the prawns for 2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Serve hot.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 25 mins
Marinating time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Balinese Steamed Chicken Parcels (Turn Ayam)
700 g (1 ½ lbs) chicken breast, sliced into strips
2 teaspoons tamarind pulp
2 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons plus
2 teaspoons oil
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1-2 red finger-length chilies, thinly sliced
125 ml (½ cup) thick coconut milk
½ teaspoon salt
6-8 salam leaves or 3 sprigs lemon basil
3 banana leaf sheets, each about 25 x 45 cm (10 x 18 in), softened in hot water for wrapping (see page 12)
Seasoning Paste
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 candlenuts
1-2 red finger-length chilies
4 shallots, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 stalk lemongrass, tender inner part of bottom third only, sliced
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2½ cm (1 in) fresh galangal or ginger root, peeled and sliced
1½ teaspoons palm sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 To prepare the Seasoning Paste, dry-fry the coriander seeds, peppercorns and candlenuts in a skillet over low heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the pan and grind to a powder in a spice grinder. Add all the other Seasoning Paste ingredients. Process until finely ground, adding a little oil if needed to keep the mixture turning.
