Reza cooks up this blast from the past recipe of beef satay with a spicy papaya salad.
Makes 4
Ingredients
400g fillet of beef, sirloin or tenderloin alternatively chicken or pork fillets can be used
To make the paste:
4 tbsp chopped red shallots
4 tbsp ground roasted peanuts
1 tbsp ground roasted coriander seeds
1 tsp ground cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
4 kaffir lime leaves finely chopped
2.5cm piece fresh ginger, chopped
250ml thick coconut milk
2 tbsp condensed milk
2 tbsp palm/brown sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
A pinch of salt
12-16 bamboo skewers soaked in water for an hour
For the spicy papaya salad:
Serves 4-6
1 green unripe papaya, peeled, de-seeded and coarsely grated (see Cook’s Notes)
1 tsp chilli powder
1 - 2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
juice of ½ lime
For tempering:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp asafoetida (see Cook’s Notes)
2 tbsp peanuts
Method:
1. Cut the beef into strips approximately 5cm x 2cm against the grain and place into a bowl and set aside.
2. To make the paste, put all the ingredients into a blender/food processor and blitz to a very smooth paste. Decant into a bowl,then add the rest of the ingredients and fold in well. Add the beef strips to the mixture and mix well allowing the meat to absorb the marinade. Marinate for at least 4-6 hours or overnight. Thread 3 pieces of meat onto each bamboo skewer and push down tightly. Repeat this process until all the meat is used.
3. Place the skewers on a lightly oiled searing pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side basting with the excess marinade. Alternatively the skewers can be cooked under a hot grill or an open barbecue for the same amount of time.
4. Any excess marinade can be drizzled over the satays as they cook. The remainder can be served as a sauce on the side.
For the papaya salad:
1. Peel and coarsely grate the papaya. Put the grated papaya into a bowl and add the sugar and chilli powder and enough lime juice to bring out the sharpness of the fruit. Mix well.
2. In a heavy frying pan heat the oil until it smokes then add the asafoetida and mustard seeds. Once they start to hiss and splutter, add the peanuts and sauté for a few seconds. Add the tempered mixture to the papaya salad and mix thoroughly.
Cook's note: If you happen to come across a green papaya on your travels to your local Indian/Asian/Thai grocer, try this simple recipe which could be served instead of coleslaw and is a sharper, healthier option.