Satay

Taste and texture

Satay grills small prepared pieces of meat and other ingredients on skewers. Indonesian menus use sate, while English menus may use satay or sate. Chicken with peanut sauce is familiar, but beef, pork and fish versions exist, with different seasonings and ways of attaching the ingredients to the skewer.

For cubed-meat satay, similarly sized pieces are seasoned and threaded onto sticks. More surface is exposed to seasoning and heat than with a whole cut. Rasa Malaysia's chicken version uses a paste of lemongrass, shallots, garlic, turmeric and ground coriander, with oil brushed on during grilling.

In Pailin Chongchitnant's Thai pork version, thin pork slices are marinated with toasted coriander and cumin, lemongrass, turmeric and coconut milk, among other seasonings. Coconut milk is also brushed on during grilling. The folded slices cook differently from cubed chicken threaded onto a stick.

Peanut sauce can be prepared separately from the marinade. Pailin grinds roasted peanuts while retaining particles, then simmers them with red curry paste fried in coconut milk. Tamarind, palm sugar and fish sauce balance acidity, sweetness and saltiness in the textured dip.

Indonesia Tourism describes chicken satay marinated in sweet soy sauce and served with peanut or sweet soy sauce. Padang-style satay instead cooks beef or ox tongue with aromatics before charcoal-grilling it and adding a thick yellow spiced sauce. Peanut sauce is a familiar accompaniment, but does not define every satay.

Bali's sate lilit combines minced fish or other meat with coconut and aromatics and wraps the mixture around a skewer. It forms an elongated mass instead of a row of cubes. Whole-muscle satay and the minced mixture of lilit break apart differently as you eat.

Charcoal-grilled satay develops a roasted surface, with slightly firmer thin edges. The interior may retain a distinct grain or yield softly depending on the meat and cut. Bite-size pieces are not automatically tender: thickness and cooking determine the texture.

Turmeric adds yellow colour and an earthy aroma, while lemongrass contributes a brighter fragrance. Sweet-soy marinades give a more pronounced sweet-salty coating. Even a skewer with little chilli can have strong aromatic seasoning, so heat and spice fragrance are separate sensations.

Peanut sauce layers a concentrated nutty flavour over the grilled meat. Small ground-peanut particles cling to its surface, while coconut milk makes the sauce spread more smoothly. Curry paste and tamarind bring heat and acidity alongside that richness.

Cucumber and onion offer a different crunch. Thai ajaad combines cucumber, shallots and chillies with a vinegar, sugar and salt dressing. These moist, tangy vegetables provide another flavour between mouthfuls of meat and rich sauce.

Rice accompaniments such as lontong or ketupat make the plate more substantial. Their compact pieces hold together for dipping rather than separating into individual grains. Skewers, sauce, vegetables and rice each contribute a different texture, and accompaniments change the amount of food even when the skewer count stays the same.

How to order it in Korea

1. Look for “satay” or “sate” on the menu and check which meat it uses, such as chicken or beef.
2. Ask whether peanut sauce is served with it or whether it comes topped with a spicy sauce.
3. If a Thai or Indonesian style is named, read the meat and sauce description too: satay includes coconut-based and sweet-soy seasonings and different sauces.