Chicken Satay

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Before you start cooking, soak the bamboo skewers in water to cover for 30 minutes.

2. Step 2

   Marinate the chicken: Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, grind the coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns to a fine powder. Transfer to a large bowl (if using a large enough mortar, you can use that), add the tamarind paste, brown sugar, turmeric, salt, cinnamon and ½ cup coconut milk. Whisk to thoroughly combine.

3. Step 3

   Slice the chicken against the grain on the diagonal into ½-inch-thick strips. Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, mix well to coat and marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, or cover and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. (The longer the chicken marinates, the better. As the chicken marinates, turn it in the marinade a couple of times.)

4. Step 4

   While the chicken marinates, prepare the peanut sauce: Place the peanuts in the bowl of a food processor, or use a mortar and pestle, and grind the peanuts until finely ground but with texture. (Take care not to grind into peanut butter!) Set aside.

5. Step 5

   Add ⅓ cup of the coconut milk to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the red curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and the oil separates, about 5 minutes. (Depending on the fat content of the coconut milk, the oil might not separate and that’s OK.)

6. Step 6

   Add the remaining coconut milk, the peanuts, tamarind paste and palm sugar. Adjust heat to medium-low and gently simmer, stirring frequently and making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom or slides of the pot, until thickened to the consistency of a dip, about 5 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick before 5 minutes, add a splash of water so the flavors have time to fully develop. Stir in the fish sauce and taste; add more fish sauce, if desired, and more tamarind paste to brighten. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside. (The peanut sauce can be covered and refrigerated up to 1 week in advance or stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.)

7. Step 7

   Prepare the ajaad (if desired): In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar and a small pinch of salt. Cook over medium, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Place the cucumber and chiles (if using) in a small serving bowl and pour in the cooled pickling liquid. Cover until ready to serve. (The vinegar mixture and cucumber should not be combined more than 30 minutes in advance, so the cucumber stays fresh and crisp.)

8. Step 8

   Cook the chicken: Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers. If grilling, heat a grill on high (skip to the next step if cooking on the stovetop). Shake off any excess marinade and place the chicken skewers perpendicular to the grates, for grill marks. Discard the marinade. Cook, uncovered, until browned and slightly charred in spots, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and grill the other side until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes more.

9. Step 9

   If cooking on the stovetop, heat a large pan (preferably non-stick or cast-iron) or grill pan over medium-high. Add enough oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, after about 90 seconds, cook until browned on each side and cooked though, 2 to 3 minutes per side. (Do not crowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary.)

10. Step 10

    Serve chicken skewers with ajaad, and peanut sauce for dipping.