South China Morning Post 1963 - Authentic Chicken Satay Skewers

French Tart's Note:

I discovered this yellowing paper cutting in my Mum's recipe scrapbook recently - this recipe is the one we always used to use when I was younger. The recipe was posted in the South China Morning Post in 1963 - by a chef from The Repulse Bay Hotel - that lovely old Colonial hotel is sadly no longer there......they used to have this great satay on the menu, as well as the MOST amazing Club Sandwiches! Absolutely authentic and I have decided to share it with you all!! If some of the language is a bit archaic - it is because I have decided to post it, as it was written in the paper at the time!

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

Chicken Satay

• 1 lb chicken piece
• 1 ounce ground lemongrass
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon saffron
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• salt

Satay Sauce

• 6 ounces peanut oil
• 5 tablespoons ground fresh onions
• 1 lb ground roasted peanuts
• 1 -2 tablespoon red chili powder
• ½ lb tamarind pulp
• 2 ½ pints water
• ¼ lb sugar
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

1. Satay Sauce:.
2. Pour peanut oil into a cooking pot and heat the oil. Add the onions and stir over the fire for about 10 minutes.
3. Then add the chillies and stir over the fire for about 3 minutes.
4. Now add the ground nuts and stir over the fire for 5 minutes.
5. Mix the tamarind with the two and half pints of water, stir well and then pour it into the cooking pot through a strainer.
6. Boil for 15 minutes stirring all the time, until the peanut oil rises to the surface.
7. Add salt, pepper and the sugar and simmer for a further 10 minutes, your satay sauce is now ready.
8. Chicken Satay Skewers:.
9. Cut chicken into 1/2" cubes.
10. Mix the lemon grass together with the ground coriander. Then add the saffron powder/threads, peanut oil, salt and sugar. Mix thoroughly and add the cubed chicken to this mixture and allow to marinate for about 1-2 hours.
11. Thread 5-6 pieces of chicken on to each skewer and cook over a charcoal barbeque or a grill - turning all the time - until the chicken is cooked but not too dry.
12. Dip the satay skewers into the satay sauce whilst they are still hot.
13. Serve with diced cucumber and toasted flat breads.

Reviews

[Pneuma]

These are sweet chicken satay skewers. The sauce has a sweet tamarind nutty taste and when mixed with the chicken gives a hint of lemon as well. Used a pc of dried red chili but other than that followed recipe as is and used the help of the kitchen converter for the measurements (I agree that the measurements are a bit archaic! :D) Next time, we'll half the satay sauce ingredients since results were nearly a bowl when half of it would have been enough. Thanks for posting this, French Tart!