Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

INGREDIENTS
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or dried, finely shredded
6 skinned, boned chicken thighs, cut into 2cm (3/4in) squares

12 bamboo skewers soaked in cold water for at least 30 mins

SAUCE
2 tbsp olive oil
3 shallots or 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 red bird’s eye chilli, thinly sliced or 1/2-1tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp tomato pure'e
1/2 tsp shrimp paste
1 tbsp palm sugar or muscovado sugar
165 ml can coconut cream
100 g roasted peanuts, finely chopped
2 tsp soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime

DIRECTIONS
1. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a small pan over a low heat. Add shallots, or onion, and fry gently until soft and lightly browned. Take out half the mixture and set aside for the marinade. Add the chilli, tomato purée and shrimp paste to the pan and cook for 2 mins. Stir in the sugar and coconut cream, and simmer for 2 mins to reduce and thicken it. Add the nuts with the kecap manis and lime juice. Season with a little salt. It should be sweet, sour, salty and spicy. Cool.

2. To make the marinade, stir the garlic, soy sauces, 2tsp coarsely ground black pepper and lime leaves into the cooked shallot with 1tbsp oil. Add the chicken and mix well. Leave to marinate for 10 mins or longer.

3. Thread 5-6 pieces of meat on to each skewer. Brush the sticks lightly with more oil. Cook on a griddle, BBQ or under a hot grill for 5-7 mins, turning once until cooked through. Serve hot with the peanut sauce.