We love to barbeque whenever possible, especially because we spend so much of our time outside. The added bonus is less washing up. Today is no exception, as no amount of bugs could keep my husband from firing up our grill. On the grill today is chicken and tofu, as I do not eat meat. Aside from the flavour imparted from the grill, the sauce that the chicken and tofu are coated in, steals first place in my heart. Please let me be the first to announce that the sauce is not authentic, but it is delicious and versatile, this I’m sure. The aromatic ingredients in this sauce create such impact that the protein requires little to no time for marination. The only regret I have when all is marinated, grilled, and eaten, is that there never seems to be enough of this sauce left.
The list of ingredients may be long, and some might find the amount of each ingredient is absolute insanity. Let me explain, coriander, chiles, lime, ginger and garlic are just a few of my favourite ingredients, so I tend to be heavy handed with them, but please feel free to alter according to the callings of your heart.
Adapted, just barely, from Jamie Oliver’s 30 Minute Meals
INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
SAUCE
1/2 bunch of coriander
1-2 inch piece of ginger, peeled, chunked
4 cloves of garlic, trimmed, peeled
3 red or green chiles (or omit – adjust to your preference)
2-3 limes, zested and juiced, depending on the level of acidity preferred
4 tablespoons of peanut butter of your choice
2-3 tablespoons of soy sauce, preferably light
2-3 chicken breasts, or alternatively extra firm tofu, cubed in 1 inch chunks suitable for skewering
2-3 tablespoon of honey, runny
Noodle Salad
3-4 noodle of choice
2-3 sprigs of green onion, trimmed, choppped
1/2 bunch of coriander, chopped
3 red or green chiles (or omit – adjust to your preference)
1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of white or black sesame seeds
small handful of peanuts, cashews, or other preferred nuts
1 tablespoon of honey
soy sauce to taste
METHOD
- The sauce. Except for the chicken, tofu, and honey, add all of the sauce ingredients to a food processor and blend to a paste. Add a couple of tablespoon of water to loosen the paste. Taste, and adjust seasoning according to taste with more soy sauce and/or lime.
- Take a couple of tablespoons of the sauce, coat your protein of choice, and chill in the refrigerator until required. When ready, skewer the chicken or tofu, drizzle lightly with vegetable oil and grill on high to medium heat until chicken is fully cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes per side. The tofu is done when beautiful grills marks appear on both sides. Just before removing from the grill, drizzle the honey over the skewers, grill for an extra 20-30 seconds, turning the skewers till the honey becomes sticky and glossy over the chicken and tofu. Especially at this point, do not leave the grill unattended, as the honey can quickly burn the chicken and tofu, and yes, I am speaking from experience. Alternatively, if you do not have access to a grill, the chicken/tofu skewers can be placed in a metal (not glass) baking pan under the broiler of an oven. Make sure to keep a close on eye on the contents in the oven.
- The Noodle Salad. Cook noodle according to package instructions. When cooked, drain, and rinse in cold water. Return the noodles to a bowl, and combine with the chopped ingredients, along with soy sauce, lime juice and zest, and sesame oil. Combine, taste, and and adjust seasoning according to taste with more soy sauce and/or lime.
- In a small frying pan, toast on medium the sesame seeds, and other nuts until golden. Turn the heat off and add the honey, letting the heat of the pan melt the honey. Immediately add this mixture to the noodle salad, while taking care not to burn yourself, and yes, I am speaking from experience.
- Place the noodle salad in a bowl and top with the grilled chicken or tofu, using the extra satay sauce for dipping or as an extra dressing over the noodle salad.
Note: The darker soy sauce lacks the saltiness that the lighter soy sauce embodies, so if using the lighter soy sauce you may need less in your recipe. Also, I find the colour that is imparted from using lighter soy sauce is more appealing, which is something I failed to do this time around.