jeudi, mars 08, 2007

Beef Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Beef Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

The other day I bought beef (again) and decided to disguise it a little so that the kids would not say, "What! Steak again?" So I cut the steak (an entrecôte) into 2cm cubes, marinated them in some spices, poked them through metal and wooden skewers (softened in water to prevent burning) and grilled them on the BBQ.

Marinated Beef on skewers

Overnight Marinade (grind into a paste with ground spices dry-roasted beforehand) :

5 Shallots
3 cloves of Garlic
1 Tsp Ground Turmeric
2 stalks of Lemon Grass
1 thumb-sized Galangal
1 thumb-sized Ginger
2 Tbsps Ground Coriander Seeds
1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
1 Tsp Dark Soya Sauce
1 Tbsp Kecap Manis
1 Tbsp Coconut Milk
1 Tsp Salt
4 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Lime juice
Oil

If you want to make the peanut sauce, I have a short-cut method which is not too bad (traditional is immer besser, of course).

Peanut Sauce :


3 Shallots
1 clove Garlic
1 stalk Lemon Grass
1 slice Galangal
Chilli Powder (optional)
Salt
2 Tbsp Chunky Peanut Butter
Coconut Milk
Lime juice

Grind or pound the shallots, garlic, lemongrass and galangal. In a small casserole, fry the spice paste in a little bit of oil. When fragrant, add in the chunky peanut butter and stir in some coconut milk. Simmer for a few minutes. When the sauce is ready, squeeze in a generous amount of lime juice and stir well.

Tomorrow we will have grilled T-bone steak :-). And the day after - a Bo Bun (Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef slices served with Salad and Nems/Fried Spring Rolls on Rice Vermicelli).


PS : For the beef satay, I normally prefer a cut like the onglet, entrecote or filet that needs to be cooked quickly as we like to eat our beef rare. It also tastes amazing on a BBQ.

8 commentaires:

le radical galoisien a dit…

I'm allergic to peanuts. Which is an unfortunate trait, given that my favourite style of cuisine is Malay food, then Indian food, then only do I appreciate the other aspects of Chinese food (the exceptions being chicken rice and congee). As I am told, apparently my mother ate so much peanuts while pregnant (for their good nutritious protein), that my foetal immune system must have reacted against it.

Sometimes when I used to order mee siam, I'd either forget to specify no peanuts, or I'd specify it and they'd add it in anyway. So I would have to pick out the majority of the peanuts one by one, and then hope the rest wouldn't be enough to cause a reaction.

So in the case of satay, I end up dipping it in belacan sauce instead. I don't know what I'm missing.

Something I've realised though: I'm allergic to half of types of peanuts, not all. Apparently peanuts can have either (or both) of a protein that trigger peanut allergies. Most people with peanut allergies are usually allergic to one protein but not the other.

Sometime ago I read they are working on genetically engineering the peanuts so there won't be any such allergens at all. So maybe one day I'll get to taste the real goodness of peanuts in my lifetime. (The itchy reaction in my mouth obscures their true taste.)

Beau Lotus 涟 a dit…

That, my dear Boy, is most unfortunate. But are you also allergic to other nuts like almonds, Brazil nuts or hazelnuts? Because, you could maybe try to make the sauce with other nuts...

Dutchess a dit…

Ooooh...Satay! Yum!

I only make satay during the summer months where we (or rather my husband) grill them over the BBQ.

Beau Lotus 涟 a dit…

Dutchess, me I have no BBQ pit leh. Left it behind in Spain...

But I have every intention of acquiring one in Italy, hopefully an electric or gas one, making charcoal fire too lehcheh.

Then I can make meat satays, satay lilit etc to my heart's content!

Dutchess a dit…

Oh, you MUST get a BBQ pit in Italy!!! It'd be a shame not to, especially in the summer.

We have a charcoal pit. To me, char-grilled foods have the best flavour. However, I don't do the actual grilling, it's too smokey and smelly for me - that's what husbands are for. hahahaha

Beau Lotus 涟 a dit…

Of course charcoal better. I am a sucker for chaotah stuff somemore.

But building up charcoal fire is quite a chore and Hubby is not always very cooperative. Experience tells me that charcoal pit = BBQ once in a blue moon. So I'm going to be flexible and go for the modern stuff.

le radical galoisien a dit…

Is it possible to make the sauce with other nuts? My only other food allergy is G6PD, which is genetic and mainly excludes fava beans.

Beau Lotus 涟 a dit…

Ah Di ah, I didn't mention anything about nuts of any kind to you, ok? Wah, better not get myself into trouble if you are the nut-allergy kind. Wait your mother come and look for me. But such a pity, me, I'm nuts about nuts.