by: Kate McMillan
Cook Time
8 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Yield
4-6 Servings
Total Time
8 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Yield
4-6 Servings
summary
Lemongrass is a very flavorful and aromatic herb used in many Southeast Asian dishes. It has a bright lemony flavor with a hint of ginger, and it can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. It can be intimidating, as you need to know which part to use. Cut the top and bottom off so that you are left with just the main stalk, which is the thickest section and the whitest in color, usually about 3 inches in length. Then, remove the tough outer layer and you are ready to use this powerful ingredient.
ingredients
- Satay Ingredients:
- 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and tough outer layer removed
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons ginger root, freshly grated
- 1 small clove garlic, grated or finely minced
- 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 scallions, green parts only, chopped
- Peanut Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons ginger root, freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha, optional
- 3–5 tablespoons warm water
- 1 teaspoon peanuts, chopped, for optional garnish
directions
- Finely chop the lemongrass and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the canola oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, ginger and garlic. Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss to coat in the marinade. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to overnight.
- To make the peanut sauce, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, lime juice, ginger and Sriracha, if using. Add 3 tablespoons of warm water and whisk vigorously. If needed, add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a smooth, creamy texture. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped peanuts.
- Prepare a grill to high heat. Thread the shrimp onto wooden or metal skewers, about 4 shrimp to a skewer. Grill until shrimp are opaque throughout, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with scallions and serve with peanut sauce on the side.
- Serve skewers drizzled with cilantro sauce.
notes
If you are using wooden skewers you will need to soak them for at least an hour. This will prevent them from burning on the open flame.
This will also work on a grill pan over the stove if you don’t have an outdoor grill. Just make sure to get the pan really hot so that the shrimp grill (not steam).
The honey in the marinade will help to caramelize the shrimp, giving them extra flavor.
This marinade is also terrific on chicken, flank steak and scallops.
