"Everyday Cooking"- Thai Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce

 

The other day I called 'P' to see what she was going to make for 'V's sendoff party. 'V' is moving to Florida!!! Is she lucky or what! 'P' said she is going to make 'Chicken Satay' with Peanut dipping sauce and many other items.'P' will always have a spread for a occasion.

Now I have always had 'Satay' at Thai restaurants in Ithaca.But since we moved here to Columbus, there is no Thai restaurant here and I haven't had 'Satay' for a long time now. Since Mummy is also here, I decided to give her a taste of 'Satay'...one of my favorite thai dishes...and try it at home.

'Satay' is a dish of marinated,skewered grilled meats served with a sauce.

Ingredients:

8 pieces of Boneless Chicken tenders/ strips of Chicken breast/thigh

Marinade:

1/4 cup Coconut milk

1/2 tsp Thai curry powder

1/4th tsp turmeric powder

1/4th tsp Red pepper flakes

1 tsp Soy sauce

1/4tsp Garlic

1/2tsp Ginger

1/2tsp Brown sugar

1/2tsp oil

1/2tsp chopped cilantro

salt

 (This marinate is 'Gingery', spicy and salty) It is supposed to be little more 'sweet' than in my recipe, but I like my chicken spicy.You can add more brown sugar.

8 Skewer sticks soaked in water for 30 mins

Lettuce leaves 

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

1/4th cups Peanuts

1-2 tbsp coconut milk

1tsp Sweet chili sauce

1/4th tsp chili powder

1/4th tsp ginger-garlic paste

1tsp soy sauce

1/4th tsp sugar

 salt

water to thin it out to desired consistency.

Add this after blending the sauce for some crunch-1/2tsp coarse ground peanuts

Method:

1) Mix all ingredients for the marinade.

2) Keep 1 piece of chicken at a time between plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin to flatten it.This helps to 'sew' the skewers in the piece and also for quick cooking.

3) Marinate the chicken with the marinade and refrigerate for 2-3 hrs.

4) Sew the skewers into the marinated chicken and keep enough 'handle' on the skewers to hold while grilling.

5) Heat a 'grill' pan and spray with non stick cooking spray.Place the chicken skewers onto the pan and grill till chicken looks cooked.Then turn on the other side.

 6) Arrange lettuce leaves on the serving platter.

7)Place the grilled thai chicken satay onto the leaves and serve hot with Peanut dipping sauce.

8) Peanut dipping sauce:

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce and blend in the mixer till smooth.The sauce should taste 'Spicy+ Sweet'.Add the coarse ground peanuts for crunch in the sauce.

                       Enjoy the Thai Chicken Satay with sweet-spicy peanut sauce!

"Appetizers"- Corn in Phyllo cups

I love Phyllo dough and I love Corn....put them together... and I have this 'Lovable' appetizer or 'anytimetizer'!!!
Both 'Phyllo dough' ( Phyllo, filo, or fillo dough is paper-thin sheets of raw, unleavened flour dough used for making pastries in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisine) and 'Corn' are so versatile you can use them in so many different ways. 
Photo Source- Wikipedia (In this photo- 'Baklava' made from Phyllo dough)

One more 'awesome' thing about Phyllo dough is that due to the 'food industry's' blessing we have already rolled- ready to bake- Phyllo dough sheets and cups, readily available.Otherwise think, what if you had to make the paper thin dough yourself...ufff! 
When I am short on time, I use the 'ready to bake' mini filo cups'.They are perfect to make bite size- single serve appetizers. Busy Girls best friend!

Ingredients:
Filling: ( The filling can be used to make Corn bhel topped with chopped onions, tomatoes,tamarind chutney or serve just as is or with a squeeze of lemon)

1/2 cup thawed corn kernels
1/4tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
salt
oil

For 'corn in phyllo'
15 ct mini phyllo cups
1tbsp hot and sweet sauce
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1tbsp fine sev


Method:
1) Bake the phyllo cups according to packet instructions( I warm them up in the oven at 350F for 3-4 mins) to make them crisp.
2) Heat oil in the pan, add mustard seeds, corn kernels, garam masala,salt red pepper flakes and toss till warmed through.Let it cool.The filling should be somewhat dry.
3) To the baked phyllo cups, add 1 tsp corn filling. Top off with hot and sweet sauce, onion, sev and cilantro. Can add tomatoes too.

     Enjoy the crisp phyllo cups with the corn filling with tangy sauce and crunch onions and sev!