Java Style Beef Sate Recipes

BEEF SATAY

Steps:

• 1. To make the marinade, place the tamarind pulp in a small nonreactive bowl and mix it with 3 tablespoons of very warm water. Let the tamarind pulp rest until it softens, 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze and massage the softened tamarind pulp through your fingers, loosening the fruit's soft auburn-colored pulp from the shiny black seeds, brittle brown skin shards, and sinewy bits of string. With your fingers, remove all the solid pieces from the liquid and discard them; all that will remain is a thick caramel-colored extract. Set the tamarind extract aside.
• 2. Place the coriander seeds in a small food processor. Pulse until the coriander is well ground and dusty, about 2 minutes. (Don't remove the coriander from the food processor at this point - you're going to grind it again along with the other flavoring-paste ingredients.)
• 3. Add the tamarind extract, shallots, garlic, turmeric, ginger, palm sugar, oil, and salt to the food processor. Pulse until you have a smooth paste the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes. (If the paste does not purée properly and repeatedly creeps up the side of the food processor instead of grinding, add up to 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, periodically turning the processor off and, with a spoon, scraping the unground portions down toward the blade as you go.) Transfer the blended marinade into a nonreactive bowl large enough to hold the beef.
• 4. Slice the beef into long, 1/4-inch-thick strips against (not with) the grain of the meat, as you would if carving a cooked piece of London broil. The pieces should be no wider than 1 inch.
• 5. Add the sliced beef to the bowl and combine it well with the marinade, making sure that every piece is coated. Allow the beef to marinate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
• 6. Thread the beef strips onto the presoaked bamboo skewers, weaving the point of each skewer through the center of the beef every 1/4 inch to make sure it holds tight and remains secure while it cooks. Use 1 to 4 pieces of beef per skewer, depending on how long the pieces are, making sure that the beef extends from the tip to the middle of the skewer. Leave plenty of room so you can grab the skewer at the bottom - the meat should not extend from one end to the other.
• 7A. To cook the beef on a grill, first prepare a medium-hot wood charcoal fire and oil the grill rack liberally. When the fire is hot (this may take up to 20 minutes), place each skewer on the grill, making sure that the beef, not the skewer, is directly over the heat. Grill the beef until it is cooked through and has begun to pick up a few crispy brown-black spots, about 2 to 5 minutes (depending on how hot the fire is). Turn the skewers over carefully and continue grilling until the other side is browned, another 2 to 5 minutes. Do not overcook the meat - it will dry out if you do. Test a piece by touching it with your finger. The beef should be firm, not squishy. Another way to test it is by cutting into the thickest point: It should be very faintly pink, neither blood-red nor gray.
• 7B. To broil the beef in the oven, preheat the broiler for at least 5 minutes and position the rack so that the satay skewers will be 3 inches from the heat source. Line a half-sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place each skewer on the pan, arranging them so that the meat is in the center of the pan and the skewers slightly hang over the outside, and slide the pan into the broiler. Broil until the meat begins to turn golden brown and develops a few char spots, about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn each piece over to brown the other side, an additional 5 to 6 minutes of broiling. Test a piece by touching it with your finger. The beef should be firm, not squishy. Another way to test it is by cutting into the thickest point: It should be very faintly pink, neither blood-red nor gray. If the surface doesn't char (your broiler or the distance from the flame may not allow it to), don't worry - as long as the meat is cooked through, the satay will taste wonderful. Do not overcook the meat; it will be unpleasantly dry.
• 8. Transfer to a serving dish and let the skewers rest for about 1 minute, until they are cool enough to handle. Serve immediately.

HOW TO MAKE BEEF SATAY

Steps:

• Place ginger, garlic, onion, brown sugar, fish sauce, vegetable oil, soy sauce, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne pepper into a mixing bowl; whisk into a smooth marinade.
• Bruise lemon grass by hitting it lightly several times with the back of a large chef's knife; mince the lemon grass and add to the marinade.
• Cut beef sirloin into strips about 2 1/2 inches long and 1/8 inch thick. Thoroughly mix the beef into marinade until all beef strips are completely coated, about 1 minute. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove beef from marinade and shake off excess marinade. Thread 1/4 the meat onto each metal skewer.
• Arrange skewers on the preheated grill and cook until the meat stops sticking to the grill, about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip skewers over onto other side and cook until meat is well browned and shows grill marks, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Turn onto first side again and cook until meat is still slightly pink, 2 more minutes. Transfer to a platter and let skewers rest about 2 more minutes before serving.