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Chicken Satay with Lontong

Satay, a common and popular Malay dish, is served with peanut gravy and lontong (compressed rice cakes), along with fresh vegetable slices. This dish can be served during high tea along with other dishes or it can be a starters for part of a bigger menu.

Cucumber slices, to serve

Onion slices, to serve

Satay Sauce (page 6), to dip

Compressed Rice Cakes

500 g (2½ cups) un cooked white rice, washed in several changes of water, drained

8¼ cups (2 litres) water

Pinch of salt

1 pandanus leaf (optional)

Aluminium foil or banana leaves

Satay

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon fennel powder

1 teaspoon chilli powder

4 shallots, finely minced

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon honey

500 g (1 lb) boneless chicken or beef, sliced into 3 mm (⅛ in) x 2 cm (¾ in) pieces

25–30 pieces of 15 cm–18 cm (6–7 in) satay skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

2 stalks lemongrass, for brushing

Oil, for brushing

1 Make the Compressed Rice Cakes by bringing the rice, water, salt and pandanus leaf, if using, to a boil in a big saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low when the mixture slightly thickens and the rice is cooked and soft. Keep stirring until the rice mixture thickens. Continue to stir until the rice mixture leaves the sides of the saucepan. Remove from the heat.

2 Line the sides and bottom of a deep saucepan with the aluminium foil or banana leaves. Pour in the thickened rice mixture, cover the top of the rice mixture with more foil or banana leaves. Place a heavy object on top of the foil or banana leaves to compress the rice. Leave to stand overnight. When ready to serve, remove the banana leaves and cut the compressed rice into 12-mm (½-in) cubes.

3 Make the Satay by mixing the cumin, fennel and chilli powders together with the shallots, garlic, salt and honey in a large bowl. Add the meat slices, mix to coat well and set aside to marinate for at least 3–4 hours.

4 Thread 4–5 of the marinated meat slices onto each skewer until all the meat slices have been used up. Grill the meat over a charcoal grill or a barbecue set, constantly brushing with a stalk of lemongrass dipped in oil. Turn the skewers frequently to prevent the meat from burning.

5 Serve the Satay accompanied by Compressed Rice Cakes, cucumber and onion slices, and a dipping bowl of Satay Sauce on the side.

Makes 20–30 sticks

Preparation time: 30 mins + marinating time

Cooking time: 2 hours + 20 mins

Malay Curry Puffs

This is a very popular snack and is usually served for breakfast or afternoon tea.

Oil, for deep-frying

Filling

2 tablespoons oil

1 onion, minced