| 4 | large | shallots | |
| 4 | large | garlic cloves | |
| 2 | stalks of lemongrass | bottom 6 inches only, outer leaves peeled, inner stalk cut into 1-inch pieces | |
| 2 | serrano or jalapeño chiles | stemmed and seeded | |
| 2 | tablespoon | minced fresh ginger | |
| 1 | tablespoon | soy sauce | |
| 1 | teaspoon | ground coriander | |
| 1 | teaspoon | freshly ground pepper | |
| 3 | tablespoon | light brown sugar | |
| 2 | tablespoon | Asian fish sauce | |
| 2 | pound | skinless | boneless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise 1 inch thick |
| 3 | tablespoon | vegetable oil | |
| 1 | cup | unsweetened coconut milk | |
| 1/2 | cup | smooth peanut butter | |
| 2 | tablespoon | fresh lime juice | |
| 2 | tablespoon | chopped cilantro |
| In this ingenious version of an Indonesian classic, the gingery, lemongrass-scented satay paste is the base for the chicken marinade as well as for the luxurious peanut dipping sauce. A few alternatives to the chicken: thinly sliced beef or pork or whole, shelled shrimp. 1. Light a grill. In a mini food processor, combine the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, chiles, ginger, soy sauce, coriander and ground pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of the fish sauce and process to a fine paste. Transfer half of the seasoning paste to a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. 2. Thread the chicken strips onto skewers. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and let stand for 10 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan. Add the remaining seasoning paste and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil, stirring. Whisk in the peanut butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon each of brown sugar and fish sauce and bring to a simmer. Transfer the sauce to a blender, add the lime juice and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. 4. Grill the chicken skewers over a hot fire until lightly charred and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter or bowl and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with the peanut sauce. Recipe by Grace Parisi This recipe originally appeared in June, 2005. |