Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

Method

1. 1

   Soak 12 bamboo skewers in water so they survive the grill.

2. 2

   Marinate the chicken in half the coconut milk with turmeric, coriander, cumin, half the palm sugar and half the fish sauce for at least 1 hour.

   💡 Turmeric stains everything it meets — use a bowl you don't love and maybe gloves.

3. 3

   For the sauce, fry the red curry paste in a little of the remaining coconut milk until fragrant, then whisk in the rest with the peanut butter, tamarind and remaining sugar and fish sauce. Simmer to a pourable cream, about 4 minutes.

4. 4

   Thread the chicken onto the skewers in a tight ribbon pattern.

5. 5

   Grill over high heat 3–4 minutes per side, brushing with leftover marinade early on, until charred at the edges and cooked through.

   💡 Crowd the skewers handle-out over one hot zone and rotate often — the sugar in the marinade burns if ignored.

6. 6

   Serve hot with the peanut sauce and a quick cucumber relish sharpened with a splash of vinegar and sugar.