Itsy Bitsy Foodies

Satay (skewered marinated meat that is grilled and served with a sauce) is often linked to Thai food because of the popularity of Thai satay with spicy peanut dipping sauce.  However, satay actually has its origins in Indonesia and there are now variations all over Southeast Asia and beyond.

I have always liked peanut sauces and over the years I’ve made several versions for pastas and stir-fry dishes.  When I came across Simply Scratch’s Beef Satay with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce I realized that I was drooling over her pictures and that it had been a while since I had made peanut sauce.  Then, while guest editing for DailyBuzz Moms, I discovered a “peanut sauce to die for” on This Week for Dinner.  At its base, my peanut sauce recipe follows more closely Simply Scratch’s recipe but I ultimately adapted it quite a bit.  The addition of curry powder and lemongrass in the second recipe gave me the idea to use red curry paste for a quick and easy way to add a depth of flavor to the spicy dipping sauce.  My family likes it hot but you can adjust the spiciness of the sauce to taste with the cayenne.

As for the chicken I used my family’s fail-proof teriyaki marinade which paired well with the peanut sauce.  Using flank or skirt steak with the teriyaki marinade would also be a yummy option.

{In my family we don’t have a structured meal plan but we definitely tend to fall back on our simple favorites for busy nights.  I love it when we find a new quick and easy meal that can be added to our weeknight meal rotation.  This spicy peanut sauce makes the cut!  Though we made it with chicken satay the first time, it can be put to use in many other dishes, too, such as our {Chicken} Quinoa Satay Salad.}