Pork Satay with Peanut Sauce

Pork satay made with tender fillet in a spicy marinade before being quickly seared and served with a coconut milk and peanut dipping sauce.

This is a nice, quick recipe; prep takes a leisurely 15 minutes and cooking just 5 minutes. Leaving the meat to marinate is best, but you can do this well in advance!

Pork Fillet Skewers with Peanut Sauce

This pork satay recipe is loosely influenced by Sate Babi or Satay Babi. It is popular with the Indo-Chinese population of Indonesia.

The same community is responsible for Babi Chin, a relatively recent food find of mine and one that I simply adore.

Satay may be most commonly associated with chicken, but it is made with everything from goat to quail eggs. It is essentially nothing more than stuff on a stick. I even have a chicken satay stir fry and a satay chicken curry, well, because I can!

I use pork tenderloin, an ingredient that features in recipes as diverse as pork stroganoff and char siu pork tenderloin.

It is incredibly quick to cook and has the most beautiful, tender and soft texture.

When I say quick, so long as your pan is hot enough, the cooking time is less than 5 minutes.

If you like stuff on sticks, be sure to check out my Indo-Chinese chicken shashlik kebabs, North African-influenced harissa halloumi kebabs, Greek lamb souvlaki and Spanish pinchos morunos!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use another cut of pork?

This recipe is developed with pork fillet or tenderloin in mind because it is a really tender cut of meat that cooks quickly.

You could use pork loin; it will take longer to cook, and it will also benefit from a longer marinade.

How long can I leave the pork to marinate?

If you are using pork tenderloin or fillet, I would limit it to 4-6 hours. But if you are using pork loin, then you can get away with up to 24 hours.

Do I have to use the chilli and Tabasco sauce?

No, this recipe is just as good without them, but I am really rather fond of a bit of chilli heat.

Do I have to use fish sauce?

No, you could replace it with light soy sauce; however, the dish does have a rounder flavour with fish sauce.

Why don't you use fresh lemongrass?

Getting quality lemongrass is often a challenge for me, and as a result, I always have lemongrass paste in the fridge.

You can use fresh lemongrass; use one small stem, and remove the outer leaves. Then bruise it with the blunt side of a knife before finely chopping it.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve these satay skewers with some form of salad; they are pictured here with my cucumber salad.

I'm also fond of pairing this dish with quick pickles, and my quick-pickled daikon is a real favourite of mine.

Noodle salads also make a really nice addition. This nutty rice noodle salad, my soba noodle salad, or this egg noodle salad would all be perfect.

If you wanted something warm as opposed to a cold salad, how about some stir-fried veggies? You could add stir-fried asparagus in spring or stir-fried broccoli later in the year.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I believe they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/stovetop.
• Griddle pan.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Mixing bowls.
• Grater.
• Skewers, I prefer bamboo skewers with a square profile.
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.