Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

I have always wanted to try Thai food, but for some reason haven't.  Instead of playing it safe and going to a restaurant I decided to cook some myself.  Kevin, at Closet Cooking, posted a recipe and it looked and sounded really good so I gathered all of the ingredients and started cooking.  To say my family was skeptical is an understatement. 

We got 6 inches of snow last night, but I had my son go and shovel the patio just so I could grill this meat.  I know all my neighbors were talking about me but that's okay.  I would have never got the flavor and crispy places on the chicken.  It was well worth my 10 year old's efforts (and me wearing my snowboots and coat). 

The only ingredient that may be a challenge to find is the lemon grass.  While I was in Dallas this past week I went to my favorite store, Central Market.  I love browsing their bulk bins.  I found some dried lemon grass and thought that this would have to work.  I wasn't going to spend a fortune on fresh lemon grass when I could get what I need for 30 cents.  I just rubbed it in between my palms and then put it in the marinade.  Before I put the chicken on skewers I tried to squeeze as much of the marinade off, but of course, some of the lemon grass remained.  It was fine after grilling. 

Result:  I LOVED the chicken!  (My family liked it too...probably not as much as I did, though).  The combination of ingredients gave the chicken such a unique flavor.  I will definitely be making this again.  The spicy peanut dipping sauce was not my favorite.  It was a little rich and really not needed because the chicken already had so much flavor. 

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

from Kevin at Closet Cooking
(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons coriander seeds (toasted and ground)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (toasted and ground)
1 teaspoon turmeric (ground)
2 stalks lemongrass (peeled & chopped)
2 cloves garlic (grated)
1 tablespoon galangal (or ginger, grated)
1 lime (juice and zest)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons palm sugar (grated or brown sugar)
1 pound chicken (cut into thin strips)
* wooden skewers (soaked in cold water for 30 minutes)
1/4 cup peanut sauce

Directions:

1. Mix the coriander, cumin, turmeric, lemongrass, garlic, galangal, lime, fish sauce and sugar in a food processor.
2. Marinate the chicken in the marinade for up to 4 hours.
3. Skewer the chicken and grill it for about 5 minutes on each side.
4. Serve with peanut dipping sauce (see recipe below)


Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon panang curry paste or red curry paste
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili sauce (or 1 birds eye chili, sliced)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanuts (roasted and crushed)

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the panang curry and saute until fragrant.
3. Add everything else and simmer to thicken it a bit, about 2-3 minutes.