Chef's Notes
This marinade is also great with chicken, beef, lamb or even tofu.
Marinating the Pork
To make the marinade, toast the coriander seeds until fragrant. Finely grind them with the chili flakes and set aside. Peel and roughly chop the ginger and garlic. Finely mince the lemongrass. Add the garlic, ginger and lemongrass to a food processor and purée.
Add the peanuts and pulse a few times. Next, add the green onions and cilantro and pulse again. Add the honey, fish sauce, kecap manis, lime juice, pepper, ground spices and purée. Lastly, add the melted butter and chicken stock. Pulse again and set aside while you prepare the pork.
Note: Soya sauce can be substituted for kecap manis if you cannot find it.
Trim the pork of any silver skin. Cut into bite-sized cubes. Place into a casserole dish, add the marinade and mix. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3 hours, preferably overnight. Soak the wooden skewers in cold water.
Step 1: Marinating the Pork
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp lemongrass
- 1/2 cup roasted, Spanish peanuts
- 1/3 cup green onions
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/4 cup kecap manis (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (or lemon juice)
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup melted, unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin (can substitute with beef, chicken or lamb)
Making the Peanut Sauce
For the peanut sauce, roughly chop the macadamia nuts. Using a medium-size fry pan, toast the nuts over medium-low heat until golden. Set aside. Using the same pan, toast the coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant. Grind the coriander, cumin and chili flakes until quite fine. Set aside.
Dice the onion and shallot. Saute over medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes or until golden. Add the spices and coconut cream and let cook for a few more minutes. Add the coconut milk, palm sugar, kecap manis, salt and pepper. Cook for another few minutes before setting aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, pulse the nuts a few times. Add the above sauce and blend to combine. This peanut sauce is best served at room temperature.
Step 2: Making the Peanut Sauce
- 1/8 cup macadamia nuts (or candlenuts)
- 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
- 1/4 cup roasted, Spanish peanuts
- 1/2 medium red onion
- 1 small shallot
- 1 tsp peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1/4 cup coconut cream
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 2 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 tbsp kecap manis (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Skewering and Baking the Satays
To cook the satays, preheat your oven to 400° degrees Fahrenheit. Place 3 or 4 pieces of meat onto each skewer, and set onto a parchment-lined baking tray.
Bake for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, rotating halfway through. These satays can also be grilled. Once done, garnish with a bit of cilantro and serve with the peanut sauce.