How to Marinate the Chicken Satay

It used to be a lot easier when I made chicken satay. You can read my tips about making chicken satay without skewers. I skipped soaking and using the skewers to string the meat. I also used a marinating package so that I don't have to keep turmeric on hand. It was convenient. Like my friend Roxanne said: "Sometimes, it doesn't pay to make everything from scratch because you will end up with a lot of spices in your pantry that you only used once, or twice."



I was in heaven for a long time when I was able to purchase the packages at any Asian grocery store. Until one sad day a tragic thing happened, I came home with packages that looked exactly like the package I loved to use but wasn't the same at all. The packages read:  pork. I was mad at myself because I had bought several, and I can't take it back because Asians markets don't give refunds. I've gone back and purchased again the same wrong packages several times until I simply gave up and chalked it up to the fact that they just didn't carry the package I was used to anymore, and that it just will never come back. I loved the turmeric powder that came in the original chicken satay marinate package. UGGHH.

Lately, the same questions keep circling in my head: "Why can't you just make your own marinate?" Most of the time you like the way you marinate food, it can't be that hard."

And so here we go, this was the way the below recipe was born. At least now, I don't have to rely on the packet anymore.

Marinade:
2 large chicken breasts
1 tablepoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon of olive oil
If you want to make the chicken Satay spicy, add 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Marinate the chicken:
Soak 10 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. 
Slice the chicken breasts across the grain of the meat at least 1 inch wide and 3 inches in length each. Mix all the dry ingredients together first and add the wet ingredients after. Coat all the pieces well. Set the marinated meat in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Take the marinated chicken out from the refrigerator. Insert the wooden skewers through the meat lengthwise. Grill the Sate for 4 minutes on each side or until desired tenderness.

Serve with Peanut Sauce and some sliced cucumber.

To make the peanut sauce:
1 teaspoon masaman curry paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons tamarind juice
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1.5 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup crushed peanuts
Prepare the peanut sauce by adding all the ingredients in a 2 quart sauce pan. Mix well and cook on medium heat. Turn off the heat when the sauce is slightly thickened. It takes about 10-15 minutes.