So Thai

Chicken Satay/สะเต๊ะไก่

I have such admiration for my uncle who retired from Honda Motors a while back. He was assigned to a job in Thailand for a few years. He sent me some pictures but they were lost in my fine filing system somewhere…too shay.
Basically Thailand has three seasons- cool, hot and rainy. Their cool season and hot season temperature difference is mere a few degrees…sounds like Hawaii ya? But with much humidness. A long rainy season –July to October – brings heavy rains of course though, typically afternoon flash down pour and sunshine the rest. He thrived there in such a paradisiac, tropical land.

In this recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine, the use of nam chim sate /peanut sauce instead of turmeric so it won’t stain my hands.
By the time my husband was ready to grill the chicken, it had started drizzling outside. Plan B? No, he braved the rain and grilled them to perfection.

Ingredients and instruction for 8 to 10 skewered chicken (Print Recipe Here)

Necessary equipment: bamboo skewers, oven or grill

• 1/2 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed if available)
• Zest of 1 orange (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (no sugar added)
• 2 Tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (I used gluten free type) 
• 2 teaspoons peeled grated fresh ginger
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1-1/2 pounds boneless,skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch wide strips
• Oil for grill grate
• Skewers –have plenty just in case 12-16
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped roasted salted peanuts

1. Make marinade sauce - In a large bowl, whisk together the orange juice, orange zest, peanuts butter, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Reserve 1/3 cup of the mixture in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Put the marinade in a resealable gallon plastic bag. Add chicken and seal tight. Put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
3. Soak bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes.
4. Heat grill to medium heat (350 F), and rub the grate with paper towel dipped in oil.
5. Thread 1-2 chicken strips on each skewer. Grill the chicken until thoroughly cooked, 2-3 minutes per side and until they have a nice charred mark.
6. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and peanuts. Serve with reserved peanut sauce as dipping sauce.

 

An un-invited guest was already there at the grill. Yeeek!

Life after retirement…not only nice and generous, musically gifted, my uncle taught himself to play piano and guitar, made an amateur band with friends with his family’s blessing. As the vocalist/lead guitar, he and his buddies do some occasional gigs at local establishments. I sincerely hope to have the opportunity someday to watch him play.

 

My husband’s pet project…Kefir kimuchi is about ready for consumption.

Here is something you don’t see everyday…I drove by…What the heck!
A turkey in the middle of the road. Temperature in low 70’s. It already smelled foul. I pinched my nose and took this photo.

I hope you have a not stinky but pleasant week!