My mother learned this dish when we lived in Holland in the late ’50s. It was part of the rijstafel—an Indonesian take-out feast of many dishes—that my parents used to have delivered to the house. We used to watch wide-eyed as a flurry of delivery guys carried in dish after dish stacked in round metal containers. When we gather as a family on Christmas and other special days, we rarely have turkey or ham, but more often rice and curry or bami goreng, a noodle dish, with these satés as an appetizer. It is still the favorite family snack. The pork marinade is effortless to put together. While the meat absorbs the flavors, you can stir together the spicy peanut sauce. I tend to grill the satés, but my mother actually cooks these on an old waffle iron that has a smooth side, not unlike a panini grill.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　

Pork Satés

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

　　1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

　　2 tablespoons salad oil, such as peanut or canola

　　4 tablespoons ketjap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce; see p. 14)

　　1 pound lean pork loin or trimmed pork butt, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

　　Spicy Peanut Sauce

　　12–16 wooden skewers, soaked in water (15 minutes)

　　Thinly sliced radishes or cilantro sprigs, for garnish

　　

Spicy Peanut Sauce

1 cup peanut butter (we use smooth, but you can use crunchy if you like the texture)

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　1 teaspoon sambal oelek (red chile paste)

　　4 tablespoons ketjap manis

　　1–2 cups Chicken Stock (p. 206) or water, as needed

　　

Pork Satés

Step 1

To make the satés, mix the garlic, ginger, oil, and ketjap manis in a medium bowl and add the pork cubes. Stir to coat with marinade; set aside. Meanwhile, make the sauce.

　　

Step 2

To make satés, thread the pork (4–5 cubes per skewer) onto the soaked wooden skewers. Grill or broil for 2–3 minutes on each side. Serve with the warm peanut sauce and a garnish of sliced radishes or cilantro sprigs.

　　

Spicy Peanut Sauce

Step 3

Place the peanut butter, garlic, chile paste, and ketjap manis in a small pot and warm gently over low heat for about 4 minutes. Stir in the Chicken Stock or water slowly, adding a little at a time; the mixture will thicken after each addition as it warms. This sauce can be made ahead of time and kept warm or rewarmed. You will need to add more liquid when ready to serve, as the peanut butter will thicken while standing. The sauce should have a thick, creamy consistency but be loose enough to stir easily. The seasonings can be adjusted to your personal taste; we like it a little spicy.

　　From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf.Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook.Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.