Here are just a few tips to help you make your delicious version at home:
1. For chicken, I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. For beef, I prefer top sirloin. For a vegetarian option, use extra firm tofu - you just have to be gentle with the skewered tofu, so it doesn't break and fall off your skewers.
2. For tender beef satay, cut the top sirloin in 1/4" thick long rectangles. Slicing it this way cuts through the tough fibers so you get more tender bites of beef. For chicken, cut no larger than 1" thick long pieces. The long pieces make it easier to thread onto your skewers. Be consistent with the size and shape of your meat - this way, you know everything will cook at the same rate. You may be tempted to put large pieces of meat on fewer skewers, but they may be burnt on the outside, before the inside is done. This is especially important for chicken.
3. After you've combined the contents of your pouch with oil, and seasoned it with salt (since the spice blends are quite mild, I add a tablespoon of Hot Chilli Sambal for the heat level that I like), reserve 1 heaping tbsp of that if you'd like to make your own peanut sauce (recipe below) and use the rest to marinate the meat.
4. Before threading your bamboo skewers, soak them in water - this helps to ensure they don't burn to a crisp while your meat is cooking.
5. Cook satay on a very hot grill. Satay without a char or at least grill marks is disappointing - you want the grill hot enough to caramelize the sugar in the marinade. Place your skewers on the grill, and leave them there. After two and a half to three minutes, turn them over and cook for another three minutes. Remove from grill and serve with peanut sauce.
