superfitbabe

This is a huge staple of Thai cuisine that I’ve been neglecting at Thai places lately. HA-UGE.

Satay is actually of Indonesian origin, but its use in cuisine spread throughout Southeast Asia and even parts of the Netherlands. Every country has its own different take on a satay because there really are no barriers as to what flavors and spices you can use, and you can also use any kinds of foods to satay with, even though the majority of the most authentic cuisines use a variety of animal protein such as chicken, beef, fish, or eggs for vegetarians and tempeh and tofu for vegans. Heck, I’ve heard that you can make a satay out of snakes and turtles. Not that I recommend you try that, obviously.

In Thai cuisine, you always yield this amazing, rich curry-peanut flavor that smells heavenly already but tastes even more phenomenal. For such a long time I’ve wondered how the chefs at Thai restaurants could possibly master such a delicacy. It wasn’t until my own mother actually brought us to the dinner table a huge platter of her own Thai chicken satay fresh out of the oven when I saw it with my very own eyes. The marinade was still bubbling on the tray and the smell of the coconut and the curry spices basically lured me in for a bite. But I didn’t just take one bite, no no no. I basically took one bite, multiplied by ten hundred thousand.

I don’t yet have a recipe for this, but THE ultimate condiment to dip this chicken into is peanut sauce. Knowing that a lot of people are allergic to peanuts, there are a lot of recipes for almond butter or sunflower seed butter sauces that look just as amazing. I am still working on making a really delicious peanut sauce recipe because if I didn’t happen to have Sriracha in the house, peanut sauce would be my next go-to!

Oh and how long of neglect, might you ask? I’m talking a solid three years of no chicken satay in the midst of a lifetime of Thai food.

RECIPE

• 1 pound of mini boneless organic chicken breasts***
• 2 TBSP curry powder
• 1 TBSP coconut sugar
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 TBSP fish sauce
• 1 TBSP tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
• 1/2 a can of coconut cream (approximately 1 cup)
• 1 TBSP sesame oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

***You can also substitute chicken for beef, pork, shrimp, salmon, tofu, tempeh, or seitan (if you use seitan, it will no longer be gluten free).

PROCEDURE

1. Whisk all ingredients except the chicken and the sesame oil in a mixing bowl.
2. Once well combined, carefully divide the marinade into a few large Ziploc bags.
3. Take the boneless chicken breasts and evenly divide into the Ziploc bags.
4. Let sit in the fridge at least four to five hours or overnight for optimal flavor.
5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450F.
6. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and spread with the sesame oil.
7. Place each chicken breast on the tray and broil for 12-15 minutes.

Would you ever eat a snake or a turtle? What food have you been neglecting lately?