Indonesian Chicken Satay with peanut souce

Ingredients

Marinade:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 20 wooden skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes
• Vegetable oil, for grilling
• Butter lettuce leaves
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Peanut sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Combine the yogurt, ginger, garlic, and curry powder in a shallow mixing bowl, stir to combine. Place the chicken strips in the yogurt marinade and gently toss until well coated. Cover and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at up to 2 hours.

Thread the chicken pieces onto the soaked skewers working the skewer in and out of the meat, down the middle of the piece, so that it stays in place during grilling. Place a grill pan over medium heat and brush it with oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Grill the chicken satays for 3 to 5 minutes on each side, until nicely seared and cooked through. Serve the satays on a platter lined with lettuce leaves and cilantro; accompanied by a small bowl of peanut sauce on the side.

Peanut Sauce:

• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons red chili paste, such as sambal
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts, for garnish

Combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, red chili paste, brown sugar, and lime juice in a food processor or blender. Puree to combine. While the motor is running, drizzle in the hot water to thin out the sauce, you may not need all of it. Pour the sauce into a nice serving bowl and garnish with the chopped peanuts. Serve with chicken satay.

Beef Rendang

This is a very close representation to what I have had in restaurants. But beware because it can be quite spicy depending on the heat of the chiles you use. The beef should be almost falling apart. Serve with steamed white rice and Achar. From Secrets of Slow Cooking.
SERVES 6 -8 (change servings and units)

Ingredients
* 3 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-2-inch pieces (I use a chuck roast & cut it up)
* 8 red chilies, stemmed and coarsely chopped (you can take out the seeds to reduce the heat level)
* 1/2 small onion, chopped
* 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
* 3 garlic cloves, chopped
* 1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, tender insides finely sliced
* 1/3 cup tamarind paste (combined with 1/3 cup warm water)
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (ground chiles, not the chili pepper spice blend)
* 1 (15 ounce) can light coconut milk
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* salt

Directions
1. Put the beef in the slow cooker.
2. In a blender or food processor combine the chilis, onion, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, tamarind
paste, 1 cup warm water, and the spices.
3. Puree until smooth, then pour over the beef.
4. Stir in the coconut milk and cook, covered, on the low setting for 5-6 hours.
5. The beef will be tender and the sauce will be dark brown.
6. Ladle most of the sauce into a small saucepan and cook over medium high heat to reduce
until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
7. Pour the sauce back in the cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes to 1 hour longer.
8. Stir in the sugar and season with salt to taste.
9. Serve over steamed rice.