Peanut Satay or peanut sate is a sauce made of peanuts served with a dish of skewered, grilled or barbecued meats, fishes, vegetables or tofu. The meat dish served along with the peanut sauce is called satay and hence, the sauce is called peanut satay. While it is common to find peanut sate being served as a dipping sauce, some recipes suggest making a gravy base for the satay, cooking the satay in the pre-made peanut sauce or the ingredients of the sauce.
Some variants of satay that are most popularly served with peanut sauce are Sate Ponorogo (a dish from Ponorogo, Indonesia, comprising a large terracotta grilled, skewered chicken marinated in soy sauce and spice mix), Sate Kelinci (satay of Rabbit meat from Java), Sate Torpedo (Testicles Satay) and Sate Kere (satay of the Poor man).
Origin of Peanut Sate
Satay is believed to have originated the 19th century in Indonesia’s Sumatra or Java, by the Arab immigrants. Although, peanut satay is not used everywhere, it is still commonplace in the cuisines of Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Netherlands and Philippines.
Popular Methods of Preparation of Peanut Satay Sauce
Following are some standard ingredients and methods followed for making peanut satay –
Indonesian Peanut Satay Recipe –
Ingredients: Canola oil, brown onion, garlic, red chili, crunchy peanut butter, water, lemon juice, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.
Preparation Overview: This recipe calls for stir-frying the onions, garlic, chilies and peanut butter until aromatic and then, mixing lemon juice, brown sugar, water and vinegar to the ingredients. This mixture is thickened by cooking it further with continuous stirring.
Thai Peanut Satay Recipe –
Ingredients: Oil, dried chili pepper flakes, spring onion, red curry paste, kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, crunchy peanut butter, palm sugar and lime.
Preparation Overview: Coconut milk, sugar and peanut butter is stirred with the sautéed chili flakes, curry paste and onion. The mixture is simmered after the addition of lime juice and this readies the Thai style peanut satay.
Peanut Satay Recipe –
Ingredients: Unsalted roasted peanuts, shallots, garlic, coconut milk, peanut butter, peanut oil, sugar, Chinese chili sauce, ground cumin, coriander and turmeric.
Preparation Overview: All the ingredients are blended together to a smooth, creamy consistency and refrigerated.
Peanut Satay Sauce in Different Cuisines
In Malaysia, the satay is prepared by simmering the ingredients in the sauce of peanut. This dish is called satay celup.
In Philippines, where satay is called Satti it is served with a thick soup made with peanuts, instead of a dip or gravy as is common with the other Southeast Asian satays.
In Netherlands, where satay is pronounced as saté or sateh, has been greatly influenced by the Dutch cuisine, where a spicy peanut sauce, available readymade in the markets, comes as the most obvious mate to the skewered dish.
In Singapore, where the satay recipe was preached in the 1940s, the dish, now commonly sold by the iconic Satay Club via its several satay stalls and some other popular outlets, prefers the peanut satay sauce for accompaniment.
Trivia
Peanut sauce being the most common accompaniment to the satays, has become synonymous with satay sauce. Here are some interesting dishes that use the term “satay sauce” or “satay flavor” synonymously with peanut sauce: