My mother learned this dish when we lived in Holland in the late ’50s. It was part of the rijstafel—an Indonesian take-out feast of many dishes—that my parents used to have delivered to the house. We used to watch wide-eyed as a flurry of delivery guys carried in dish after dish stacked in round metal containers. When we gather as a family on Christmas and other special days, we rarely have turkey or ham, but more often rice and curry or bami goreng, a noodle dish, with these satés as an appetizer. It is still the favorite family snack. The pork marinade is effortless to put together. While the meat absorbs the flavors, you can stir together the spicy peanut sauce. I tend to grill the satés, but my mother actually cooks these on an old waffle iron that has a smooth side, not unlike a panini grill.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Pork Satés
Spicy Peanut Sauce
Preparation
Pork Satés
Step 1
To make the satés, mix the garlic, ginger, oil, and ketjap manis in a medium bowl and add the pork cubes. Stir to coat with marinade; set aside. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
Step 2
To make satés, thread the pork (4–5 cubes per skewer) onto the soaked wooden skewers. Grill or broil for 2–3 minutes on each side. Serve with the warm peanut sauce and a garnish of sliced radishes or cilantro sprigs.
Spicy Peanut Sauce
Step 3
Place the peanut butter, garlic, chile paste, and ketjap manis in a small pot and warm gently over low heat for about 4 minutes. Stir in the Chicken Stock or water slowly, adding a little at a time; the mixture will thicken after each addition as it warms. This sauce can be made ahead of time and kept warm or rewarmed. You will need to add more liquid when ready to serve, as the peanut butter will thicken while standing. The sauce should have a thick, creamy consistency but be loose enough to stir easily. The seasonings can be adjusted to your personal taste; we like it a little spicy.
