Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

RECIPES, BBQ, Other

Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce
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Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Course: Appetizers, Sides, Snacks
Servings

4

servings
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

35

minutes

Satay is the street food that stops everyone in their tracks — skewers of marinated chicken grilled over charcoal until golden and slightly caramelised at the edges, served with a rich, nutty peanut sauce and a cool, tangy cucumber relish alongside. It is one of the most universally beloved dishes in Thai cuisine, and with good reason. The marinade is fragrant with turmeric, lemongrass, and coconut cream. The peanut sauce is deep, slightly sweet, and faintly spiced. Together they create a combination that is impossible to eat just one of. A staple of Thai street food stalls and temple fairs, and every bit as good made at home.

Ingredients

  • For the chicken:

  • 600 grams chicken breast or thigh fillets, cut into long thin strips

  • 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, finely sliced

  • 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

  • 1 teaspoon fresh turmeric, grated (or ½ teaspoon ground turmeric)

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • 1 tablespoon ONOFF Spices No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons ONOFF Spices Coconut Cream

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes before use

  • For the peanut sauce:

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts, finely ground (or smooth peanut butter)

  • 1 can ONOFF Spices Coconut Cream

  • 1 tablespoon ONOFF Spices Thai Red Curry Paste

  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • 1 tablespoon ONOFF Spices No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

  • pinch salt

  • For the cucumber relish:

  • 1 cucumber, finely diced

  • 2 shallots, finely sliced

  • 1 fresh red chilli, finely sliced

  • 3 tablespoons ONOFF Spices Thai Rice Vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • small handful of fresh coriander leaves

Directions

  • The chicken:
  • Using a mortar and pestle, pound the lemongrass and garlic into a rough paste.
  • Combine the paste with turmeric, coriander, cumin, palm sugar, No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce, Coconut Cream, and vegetable oil in a bowl and mix well.
  • Add the chicken strips and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours — overnight gives the best result.
  • Soak the bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent them burning during cooking.
  • Thread the marinated chicken onto the soaked skewers, weaving each strip back and forth along the length of the skewer.
  • The peanut sauce:
  • Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the Red Curry Paste. Stir fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
  • Add the Coconut Cream and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  • Add the ground peanuts or peanut butter, palm sugar, No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce, and lime juice. Stir well and simmer for 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens to a consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside. The sauce will thicken further as it cools — add a splash of water to loosen if needed.
  • The cucumber relish:
  • Combine the Thai Rice Vinegar, palm sugar, and salt in a small bowl and stir until dissolved.
  • Add the diced cucumber, shallots, and chilli and toss to coat.
  • Leave to sit for 5 minutes, then scatter over fresh coriander leaves just before serving.
  • To cook and serve:
  • Grill the skewers over a hot charcoal grill or on a preheated griddle pan over high heat, turning regularly, for 8–10 minutes until golden, slightly caramelised at the edges, and cooked through.
  • Serve immediately alongside the peanut sauce for dipping and the cucumber relish on the side.

Notes

  • Chicken thigh gives a juicier, more flavourful result than breast and is more forgiving on the grill — it is worth using if you can. For an oven method, roast the skewers on a rack at 220°C for 12–15 minutes, turning once halfway through, then finish under the grill for 2 minutes each side for colour.

Gai Yang — Isan Grilled Chicken

RECIPES, BBQ, Issaan

Gai Yang — Isan Grilled Chicken
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Gai Yang — Isan Grilled Chicken

Course: RECIPES, Dinner, Main, Lunch, Brunch
Servings

2

servings
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

10

minutes

Gai yang is the dish that defines Isan street food. Whole chicken pieces marinated in lemongrass, garlic, coriander root, and fish sauce, then grilled until the skin is golden, slightly charred, and impossibly fragrant. It is the kind of food that stops you in your tracks — the smell alone is enough. Traditionally served with sticky rice and som tum green papaya salad, this is the complete Isan meal that millions of Thais eat every week. Simple ingredients, patient cooking, and a result that is far greater than the sum of its parts.

Ingredients

  • For the Chicken

  • 4 chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone-in and skin-on

  • 2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, finely sliced

  • 2 coriander roots (or a large handful of coriander stems), roughly chopped

  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce (or ONOFF Spices No Fish Vegan Seasoning Sauce)

  • 1 tablespoon ONOFF Spices Thai Rice Vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • For the sticky rice:

  • 200 grams glutinous sticky rice

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • For serving:

  • ONOFF Spices Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, for dipping

  • Fresh cucumber slices

  • Som tum green papaya salad (optional but highly recommended)

Directions

  • The Chicken
  • Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, lemongrass, and coriander root into a rough paste.
  • Combine the paste with fish sauce, Thai rice vinegar, palm sugar, white pepper, and vegetable oil in a bowl and mix well.
  • Score the chicken pieces a few times with a knife so the marinade penetrates deeply. Add the chicken to the marinade, coat thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours — overnight is better.
  • When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 200°C. Bring the chicken to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
  • Place the chicken pieces on a rack over a baking tray and roast for 30–35 minutes until the skin is golden and slightly caramelised and the meat is cooked through. For extra colour, switch to the grill setting for the final 5 minutes.
  • Rest the chicken for 5 minutes before serving.
  • The Sticky Rice
  • Soak the sticky rice in cold water overnight, or for a minimum of 4 hours. Drain well before cooking.
  • Line a steamer basket with muslin cloth or a clean cotton cloth, add the drained rice, and steam over boiling water for 20–25 minutes until the rice is tender and translucent.
  • Season with salt and toss gently to combine.
  • Serve immediately alongside the chicken.
  • Soak the sticky rice in cold water overnight, or for a minimum of 4 hours. Drain well before cooking.
  • Line a steamer basket with muslin cloth or a clean cotton cloth, add the drained rice, and steam over boiling water for 20–25 minutes until the rice is tender and translucent.
  • Season with salt and toss gently to combine.
  • Serve immediately alongside the chicken.
  • To Serve
  • Arrange the chicken and sticky rice on a plate with fresh cucumber slices and ONOFF Thai Sweet Chili Sauce on the side for dipping.
  • Add som tum green papaya salad if you are making the full Isan spread.

Notes

  • If you don't have a steamer, a metal colander set over a pot of boiling water and covered with a lid or foil works perfectly well for the sticky rice. Make sure the water level stays below the base of the colander throughout cooking.