Recipes Dinner Poultry Dishes Chicken Main Course These Lemongrass-Scented Chicken Satay Were Made to Dunk in Tangy Peanut Sauce 5.0 (1,262) 6 Reviews Gently spiced chicken and a bright, tangy peanut sauce are the best combination. By Bryant Ng Bryant Ng Won Best New Chef at: The Spice Table, Los Angeles Born: 1977; Los Angeles. Education: Le Cordon Bleu, Paris. Experience: La Folie, San Francisco; Campanile and Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles; Restaurant Daniel, New York City. Previous career: “Like a good Asian boy, I studied molecular-cell and developmental biology and graduated from UCLA with a degree in business administration. After college, I worked in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry.” How he got into cooking: “When I was growing up, my parents owned a typical Chinese-American restaurant in Los Angeles. I washed dishes and helped in the kitchen. When I realized that I didn’t want to stay in biotech for the rest of my life, I decided to explore cooking. The Paris Le Cordon Bleu had one of the shortest courses, which is what I was looking for. When I walked into the kitchen, it made sense—it came naturally.” Memorable cooking experience: Cooking eggs for his grandparents. “When I was young, they’d stay with us on weekends. The first time I cooked eggs for them, I put the eggs in the pan, then the onions afterward: Of course, the onions were crunchy. So I learned to cook the onions first—it was my first learning experience in the kitchen.” Biggest influences: Chef Nancy Silverton of Pizzeria Mozza. “She has incredible dedication to everything she does and the people she works with. She’s hands-on. She was right next to us when Pizzeria Mozza opened, slicing pizzas.” Pet peeve: Dirty, unfolded kitchen towels. “I don’t know what it is—maybe I’m neurotic. When I see a dirty unfolded towel, it gets to my core. It irks me and grosses me out.” Ingredient obsession: All things lamb. “I’ve been obsessed with lamb recently—the liver, the shoulder, even the head. I’m cooking it whole, making terrines, pâtés. I like lamb that tastes like lamb—when its good, it’s delicate, almost like veal.” Most memorable meal: The Satay Club in Singapore. “Two of my grandparents lived in Singapore; the Satay Club is a hawker center. When I visited as a kid, it had a street-level grimy soulfulness you could only get from eating on the street. All the vendors cooking different foods—the Indian guy making roti, the Malaysian guy making satay—it all still sticks in my mind. Singapore has a crazy-intense humidity, which carries the aromas. It’s a visceral experience that still influences me.” Essential tool: “I have a satay grill. It’s about six feet wide, three feet deep. “When you walk into the restaurant, it’s the first thing you see, which is very intentional. I use almond wood and charcoal—it’s a chef’s dream.” Fantasy splurge: Vietnam. “My wife, Kim, is from Vietnam. She talks about eating in the countryside. In the States, we talk about farm-to-table; in Vietnam, they don’t use that term, but the food is ground-to-table, and they call it dinner. It’s such a different experience than you have in a more developed nation.” Cheap eat: Bonano’s Chicken, a Peruvian restaurant in L.A. “They do pollo a la brasa—a traditional dish of spit-roasted chicken over wood. It’s seasoned and cooked so perfectly, and it’s got the right amount of smoke—not too much or too little. It’s perfect. And the blood-clam ceviche is sweet and briny.” Favorite beer: Anything from Craftsman Brewing Company in Pasadena, California. “Mark Jilg opened Craftsman about 20 years ago. He had worked at jet-propulsion laboratories. Anything he brews is so thoughtful, intelligent and technically sound.” What his next restaurant would be: “I’d open a kind of B&B and just serve lunch. I’d still cook and be creative, but I wouldn’t have to serve hundreds of people a day. Maybe five, and maybe just lunch. It would be nice and comforting.” Food trend he most dislikes: Overuse of the term farm-to-table. “Philosophically, I love it. I practice it, the majority of my colleagues believe in it and practice it. What concerns me is when people just pay lip service to it, or a PR firm gives someone that label.” Favorite cookbook: The Zuni Cafe Cookbook. “I don’t cook this kind of cuisine, but the recipes are so well researched. Some of the techniques are so simple, so intelligent. Judy Rogers is not afraid to go against convention. She talks about stocks and how it’s blasphemous to add salt—then she sprinkles in salt. Now I add salt to my stock.” Twitter hero: Jonathan Gold ( @thejgold). Favorite food-related app: “Recently, Food & Wine’s Best New Chef app. And Chefs Feed [an app that chronicles the places top chefs eat]. It’s a combination of high- and low-end cuisine and you get to see what everyone else is eating.” Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 21, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Jonny Valiant Active Time: 1 hr Marinate Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Servings: 8 Satay is thought to have originated in Indonesia, and is eaten throughout Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. The combination of charred, lemongrass-scented chicken satay and rich, spicy peanut sauce is hard to beat. Frequently asked questions How do you make chicken satay? Start with boneless chicken thighs, which can be grilled without drying out. The chicken is cut into bite-sized pieces and coated with an aromatic spice paste that comes together quickly in a food processor. As the chicken marinates, shallots, garlic, jalapeño, ginger, and lemongrass are sautéed, blended with peanuts, then simmered with coconut milk, lime juice, brown sugar, and fish sauce. The result: a creamy and intensely savory sauce with a perfect balance of sweetness, saltiness, and acidity. Once the satay skewers come off the grill, this rich sauce provides the perfect foil to the browned, spice-crusted chicken. Make ahead The peanut sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat it before serving, stirring in a few tablespoons of hot water if it's too thick. If you like, you can marinate the chicken overnight. Suggested pairing Pour a light, fruity Dolcetto with this bright, flavorful chicken. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen We got best results by finely chopping the lemongrass for both the marinade and sauce before blending it; lemongrass can be tough to break down in a blender or food processor if added in large pieces. We also recommend using a blender instead of a food processor to get the smoothest consistency. Would suggest to use either chunky or creamy peanut butter in the sauce Ingredients Satay 3 plump lemongrass stalks (bottom 8 inches only), outer layer removed, finely chopped 2 large shallots, coarsely chopped (5 1/2 ounces total) 2 large garlic cloves 1/3 cup light brown sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for grilling 4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces Peanut Sauce 1/4 cup canola oil 4 medium shallots (3/4 cup), thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 plump lemongrass stalk (bottom 8 inches only), outer layer removed, finely chopped 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1 1/2 cups unsalted roasted peanuts 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce Pinch of crushed red pepper Directions Prepare the satay Combine the lemongrass, shallots, garlic, brown sugar, coriander, cumin, turmeric, fish sauce, salt and 2 tablespoons of the canola oil in a blender and process into a paste. Transfer the marinade to a bowl and add the chicken, gently tossing to coat each piece. Thread the coated chicken pieces onto 12-inch skewers and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 8 hours. Meanwhile, prepare the peanut sauce Heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, jalapeño, and ginger and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the aromatics are softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a food processor. Add all of the remaining ingredients along with 1/2 cup of water and process into a slightly chunky paste. Scrape the peanut paste back into the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is very thick and and the fat separates, about 20 minutes. The peanut sauce will turn a deeper shade of brown. Whisk in 1/2 cup of hot water until incorporated. Keep the peanut sauce warm over very low heat. Light a grill and oil the grates. Grill the chicken skewers over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with the peanut sauce. Originally appeared: April 2012 Rate It Print