Chicken Satay (Gai Satay)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. boneless chicken breast
1 tsp. whole coriander seeds
1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1 tsp. ground turmeric
3-4 shallots, peeled and sliced thin crosswise
1 stalk fresh lemon grass, sliced thin crosswise
1/4 inch piece of fresh galangal
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 tsp.sea salt
2 tsp. sugar
20 bamboo skewers
2 tbsp. cooking oil, canola or peanut

Procedure:

Slice chicken into long thin slices, approximately 1/4″ thick and 2″ in length. Pat dry with paper towels.Dry roast coriander seeds for a minute or two in a wok over medium heat to roast lightly, stirring often. Grind the coriander seeds in a mortar and pestle or electric coffee grinder (reserved for spices). Combine all the spices with the shallot, lemon grass, galangal and garlic together in a bowl. Add chicken pieces to the marinade and mix well to cover meat. Allow to marinate for at least an hour or up to overnight. Before cooking, soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 10 minutes, so that they will not burn. Skewer 2 to 3 pieces of chicken onto each stick. Grill over a hot fire until cooked through. Baste with cooking oil after turning. Serve with MaeSri Peanut Sauce, Sticky Rice and a simple Thai Cucumber Salad. Instead of chicken you may also use pork, beef, tempeh or tofu in this recipe.