Nonya Pork Satay
When chinese merchants came to Singapore and penang and took malay wives, culinary turmoil ensued. Their beloved pork was forbidden to their muslim wives. Nonya, the style of cooking that emerged, is a testament to compromise — mostly by the wives.
Ingredients
- 450g / 1lb pork fillet
- 15ml / 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1cm / ½in cube shrimp paste (blachan)
- 1-2 lemon grass stalks
- 30ml / 2 tsp coriander seeds, dry-fried
- 6 macadamia nuts or blanched almonds, if preferred
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 3-6 fresh red chillies, seeded and roughly chopped
- 2.5ml / ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 300ml / ½ pint / 1¼ cups canned coconut milk
- 30ml / 2 tbsp groundnut oil or sunflower oil
- salt
Preparation
- Soak 8-12 bamboo skewers in water for at least an hour to prevent them from scorching when they are placed under the grill.
- Cut the pork into small chunks, then spread it out in a single layer in a shallow dish. Sprinkle with sugar to help release the juices. Fry the shrimp paste (blachan) briefly in a foil parcel in a dry frying pan or warm it on a skewer held over the gas flame.
- Cut off the lower 5cm / 2in of the lemon grass stalks and chop finely. Process the dry-fried coriander seeds to a powder in a food processor. Add the nuts and chopped lemon grass, process briefly, then add the onions, chillies, shrimp paste, turmeric and a little salt; process to a fine paste. Pour in the coconut milk and oil. Switch the machine on very briefly to mix. Pour the mixture over the pork and leave to marinate for 1-2 hours.
- Preheat the grill or prepare the barbecue. Thread three or four pieces of marinated pork on each bamboo skewer and grill or barbecue for 8-10 minutes until tender, basting frequently with the remaining marinade. Serve at once.
COOK'S TIP
Nonya Pork Satay can be served as part of a meal or as a snack, in which case serve with cubes of cucumber, which contrast well with the spicy meat.
Serves 8-12.