Lamb Sate
These tasty lamb skewers are traditionally served with dainty diamond-shaped pieces of compressed rice, which are surprisingly simple to make. Offer the remaining sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
- 1kg / 2¼lb leg of Iamb, boned
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 15-30mI / 1-2 tbsp chilli sambal or 5-10mI / 1-2 tsp chilli powder
- 90mI / 6 tbsp dark soy sauce
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and ground black pepper
- groundnut or sunflower oil, for brushing
For the sauce:
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed
- 15ml / 1 tbsp chilli sambal or 2-3 fresh chillies, seeded and ground to a paste
- 90mI / 6 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 25ml / 1½ tbsp lemon juice
- 30ml / 2 tbsp boiling water
To serve:
- thinly sliced onion
- cucumber wedges (optional) compressed-rice shapes (see Cook's Tip)
Preparation
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- Cut the lamb into neat 1cm / ½in cubes. Remove any pieces of gristle, but do not trim off any of the fat because this keeps the meat moist during cooking and enhances the flavour. Spread out the lamb cubes in a single layer in a shallow bowl.
- Put the garlic, chilli sambal or chilli powder, soy sauce and lemon juice in a mortar. Add salt and pepper and grind to a paste. Alternatively, process the mixture using a food processor. Pour over the lamb and mix to coat. Cover and leave in a cool place for at least 1 hour. Soak wooden or bamboo skewers in water to prevent them from scorching during cooking.
- Prepare the sauce. Put the garlic into a bowl. Add the chilli sambal or fresh chillies, soy sauce, lemon juice and boiling water. Stir well. Preheat the grill.
- Thread the meat on to the skewers. Brush with oil and grill, turning often. Brush with a little sauce and serve hot, with onion, cucumber wedges, if using, rice shapes and the sauce.
COOK'S TIP
Make two muslin bags about 15cm / 6in square and put 115g / 4oz rice in each. Sew up the fourth side. Place in a pan of boiling, salted water and simmer for 1¼ hours until the cooked rice fills each bag like a plump cushion. The bags must be covered with water throughout; use a saucer or plate to weigh them down. Let the bags cool completely before slitting them and removing the slabs of cooked rice. With a sharp, wetted knife, cut each rice slab horizontally in half, then into diamond shapes.
Makes 25-30 skewers.