Satay

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Satay (also written saté) is a dish that may have originated in Sumatra or Java, Indonesia, but which is popular in many Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, as well as in Holland which was influenced through its former colonies. In Malaysia, satay is a very popular dish especially during celebrations and it can be found throughout the country. A close analog in Japan is yakitori. Additionally, shish kebab is also very similar to satay.

Although recipes and ingredients vary from country to country, satay generally consists of chunks or slices of meat on bamboo or coconut leaf spine skewers, which are grilled over a wood or charcoal fire. Turmeric is often used to marinate satay and gives it a characteristic yellow color. Meats used include beef, pork, venison, fish, shrimp or chicken. Some has used exotic meats such as crocodile and snake meat. It may be served with a spicy peanut sauce dip, or peanut gravy, slivers of onions and cucumbers, and ketupat. Pork satay can be served in a pineapple based satay sauce. An Indonesian version uses a soy-based dip.

Some allege that satay was invented by Chinese immigrants who sold the skewered barbecue meat on the street (the word satay means "triple stacked" (三疊) in Amoy dialect), it is also possible that it was invented by Malay or Javanese street vendors influenced by the Arabian kebab. The latter explanation is more likely as satay only became popular after the arrival of Arab immigrants in the early 19th Century. The original satay meat, mutton, is also a meat traditionally favoured by Arabs, but not very popular with the Chinese. Chinese mostly prefer pork or chicken meat.

1 Satay variants and outlets of note
2 Similar dishes
3 External links

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Satay variants and outlets of note

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Indonesia

Satay is a widely renowned dish in almost all regions of Indonesia. As a result, many variations have been developed.

Satay Madura, originating in the island of Madura, near Java, is certainly the most famous variant known among Indonesians. Most often made from mutton or chicken, the distinctive characteristic of the recipe is the black sauce made from soy sauce mixed with palm sugar, garlic, shallots, peanut paste, fermented shrimp paste (petis), pecans, and salt. It is mainly eaten with rice and venison curry.
Satay Lilit is a satay variant from Bali, a famous tourist destination. Unlike most varieties of satay, it is made from minced beef, chicken, fish, pork, or even turtle meat, which is then mixed with grated coconut, thick coconut milk, lemon juice, shallots, and pepper. Wound around bamboo, sugar cane or lemon grass sticks, it is then grilled on charcoal.
Satay Padang, a dish from a region in Western Sumatra, made from cow or goat offal boiled in spicy broth, which is then grilled. Its main characteristic is yellow sauce made from rice flour mixed with spicy offal broth, turmeric, ginger, garlic, coriander, galanga root, cumin, curry powder and salt. It is further separated into two sub-variants, the Pariaman and the Padang Panjang, which differ according to taste and the composition of their yellow sauces.
Saté Susu, or Milky Satay, a tasty dish commonly found in Java and Bali, grilled spicy cow breast with distinctive 'milky' taste, served with hot chili sauce.
Satay Makassar, from a region in Southern Sulawesi, is made from beef and cow offal marinated in sour carombola sauce. It has a unique sour and spicy taste. Unlike most satays, it is served without sauce.
Satay Meranggi, commonly found in Purwakarta and Bandung, two towns in Java, is made from beef marinated in a special paste. The two most important elements of the paste are kecombrang (Nicolaia speciosa) flower buds and ketan (sweet rice) flour. Nicola buds brings a unique smell and liquorice-like taste. It is served with ketan cake (juadah).
One of the most famous satay outlets is located at the Sabang satay stalls in Jalan Haji Agus Salim, Jakarta.

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Malaysia

Image:Satay hawker.jpg

The most famous satay stall in Malaysia is Sate Haji Samuri in Kajang, Selangor which was established in 1917.

In Johor especially in Muar. Satay is served on breakfast in the morning.

A unique pork satay can be found in Melaka. This store has been around for a very long time and features only pork satay with a sauce. Instead of the traditional peanut sauce it features a pineapple-based spicy sauce.

Satay celup or steamboat satay is a variation of satay. It consists of raw meat, seafood or vegetables on skewers that are dipped into a boiling satay sauce to cook during the meal.

As one of Malaysia's national dishes, Malaysia Airlines serves satay to its First and Business Class passengers as an appetizer on many of its long-haul flights.

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Singapore

Satay was one of the earliest foods to be associated with Singapore since the 1940s. Previously sold on makeshift roadside stalls and pushcarts, concerns over public health and the rapid development of the city led to a major consolidation of satay stalls at Beach Road in the 1950s, which came to be collectively called the Satay Club. They were moved to the Esplanade Park in the 1960s, where they grew to the point of being constantly listed in tourism guides.

Open only after dark with an al fresco concept, the Satay Club was to define the way satay is popularly served in Singapore since then, although they are also commonly found across the island in most hawker stalls, modern food courts, and upscale restaurants at any time of the day. Moved several times around the vicinity of Esplanade Park due to development and land reclamation, the outlets finally left the area permanently to Clarke Quay in the late 1990s to make way for the building of the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay.

Several competing satay hotspots have since emerged, with no one being able to lay claim to the reputation the Satay Club had at the Esplanade. While the name has been transferred to the Clarke Quay site, several stalls has been noted to have moved to Sembawang in the north of the city. Equally famous are the satay stalls which opened at Lau Pa Sat, particularly popular with tourists. Served only at night when Boon Tat Street is closed from vehicular traffic and the stalls and tables occupy the street, it mimics the open-air dining style of previous establishments.

Other notable outlets include the ones at Newton Hawker Center, East Coast Park Seafood Centre and Toa Payoh Central.

Like Malaysia Airlines, Singapore's national carrier, Singapore Airlines also serves satay to its First and Raffles Class passengers as an appetizer.

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