Satay Chicken and Peanut Dip

  

And there are things called comfort food and then there is Chicken Satay. This is one dish that I can always fall back upon when I don't know what to order, what to cook. I remember the first time I had ever tasted this dish, I was out on a date and I must have fallen in love again, with the dish of course. There aren't too many good Thai restaurant in Assam, the place from where I really belong. So I got a taste of this dish much later when I moved to Delhi for my higher studies. I was a teenager then. We had gone to a Thai Chinese Restaurant in a South Delhi Restaurant in one of the upmarket areas of Delhi. I had grown up on Chinese Food and till that time eating out generally meant Chinese food. When the server handed me the menu I just skimmed through it already knowing what I would order. While the date decided on the very reliable momos, I decided I wanted my own starter too.  "Chicken Satay" in the Thai appetizers course caught my eye, and well it was also the most expensive appetizer *wink*. I ordered it just so he feels the pinch, but as soon as the dish appeared in the table, I guess we both must have gobbled it down. I can still feel the tingle of lemongrass in my mouth, the sweet-creamy texture of the peanut sauce and the crunchy bite of chicken melting in my mouth. I was in food heaven. I have been taken in by both the Satay and the Peanut dip ever since.

I have tried preparing my own version of Satay, and of course google does help. What would we food lovers do without the search engine to fall back upon. And yeah, in case you are wondering, no the Satay isnt burnt, its the soya sauce that's caramalised into a rich black-brown colour.

Complete your meal with a complete Thai experience with a Thai Green Curry or Panang Curry

If you love noodles you can't miss Thai Style Noodles

And here is a delicate dessert for you Mango Coconut Milk Pudding

Satay Chicken

2 pieces of chicken breast, cleaned, cut into two thin strips each and flattened

1 teaspoon of lemongrass, cut into small pieces

1 small onion

2 pods of garlic

1/2 inch ginger

1 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder (for colour)

1 teaspoon soya sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

Salt, to taste

4 skewars, dipped in water for about an hour

Method: Mix all the ingredients, preferably in a blender till smooth. Rub the  mixture on the chicken breasts and marinade from about an hour to 6 hours. Put the chicken in the skewars and fry each piece in about half spoon of oil. Each side takes about 2-3 mins to be done, depending on the thickness. Serve hot with peanut dip

Peanut Dip

3 teaspoon Peanut Butter

1 spoon oil

2 pods garlic

a small piece of ginger

Half a teaspoon of red chilli powder

Half a teaspoon of sugar

Method: Heat the oil, fry the ginger n garlic and once the fragrance starts eanating, add all the other ingredients. Add a little water depending on how thick you want your sauce to be. This dip keeps for about a week in the fridge.