Ingredients

Marinade:

3 garlic cloves, chopped

One 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 sticks lemongrass, trimmed and chopped

1 cup rice wine

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

12 8-inch wooden skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

Peanut Sauce

Makes about 1-3/4 cups

We love the Indonesian peanut sauce for satays, and so we developed our own.

1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

1 tablespoon peanut oil

2 shallots, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, chopped

1/2 fresh red chile, seeded and chopped

1-1/2 cups coconut milk

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon fish sauce

Preparation

  1. Combine the garlic, ginger, and lemongrass in a food processor and process until a rough paste is formed. Place in a large nonreactive bowl and stir in the wine, salt, and sugar. Add the chicken, toss well, cover with plastic, and marinate for 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator, turning a couple of times.

  2. Preheat the broiler or fire up the grill. Take the chicken from the marinade and place it in a clean bowl. Reserve the marinade for basting. Add the oil to the chicken and stir to coat. Thread about 6 pieces of chicken onto each skewer and place on a foil-lined broiler pan or on a lightly oiled grill rack and broil or grill for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, basting with marinade a couple of times, until the chicken is cooked through and nicely browned. Serve with Peanut Sauce.

  3. Combine the peanuts, oil, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and chile in a food processor and process to a smooth paste. Transfer to a small saucepan and place over low heat. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, and fish sauce and stir until smooth. Cook until the sauce is warmed through, about 2 minutes.

  4. Taste and add more soy sauce, fish sauce, or lime juice if needed. If the sauce is too thick, add coconut milk or water to thin it out.