Tofu Satay Skewers with Rice Noodles and Quick Pickles
When most people think of satay, they probably think of peanut sauce first — but satay is actually marinated meat skewers that originally come from Indonesia and are popular in many countries across Southeast Asia today. They're grilled over fire and served with various sauces, relishes, and rice. In Thailand, for example, this includes a rich coconut marinade, a spicy peanut sauce, and a sweet-and-sour cucumber relish called Ajaad.
I've actually never had satay with meat — I've only ever eaten it as tofu skewers. And the skewers and sauce were so good that I gradually turned them into a complete dinner. And since you often have less time after work, I've ended up with a shortcut version that's on the table in just 30 minutes. So I'd like to say this clearly: this is not an authentic recipe, and I haven't tried to "optimize" satay in any way. Think of it more as a quick, vegan version inspired by the original.
What stays and where do I take shortcuts?
First things first: for a classic recipe, you can check out this recipe by Pailin Chongchitnant from Hot Thai Kitchen, for example. I discovered the Thai cucumber relish through this recipe by Cooking with Nart, among others.
Today we're essentially keeping three components from the classic dish:
the seasoned skewers
the rich peanut sauce
the sweet-and-sour cucumber relish
In many Thai recipes, the meat skewers are marinated for a longer period and grilled over charcoal, the peanut sauce is cooked from whole or coarsely ground peanuts, and the Ajaad is made with a heated sugar-vinegar brine. In my quick-dinner version, I've therefore shortened and adapted these four steps:
the tofu is briefly tossed with a mix of coconut milk, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and spices, then skewered and pan-fried
the peanut sauce consists of just a few ingredients (including crunchy peanut butter) and only needs to be combined and warmed through
the cucumbers are quickly pickled with lime juice, rice vinegar, and salt — no need to cook a separate syrup for a relish
rice noodles replace rice because they have a shorter cooking time
What if you have more time?
If you want to get closer to the original, you could marinate the tofu for longer, prepare the skewers on the grill instead of in the pan, and actually roast and grind whole peanuts for the sauce. For the cucumber relish, you could bring the vinegar-sugar brine to a boil, let it cool, and then let the cucumbers, shallots, and chilies soak in it for several hours. And instead of rice noodles, rice would be the traditional side.
But whether you go for the quick version or the more classic one — luckily it tastes great either way!
Tofu Satay Skewers with Rice Noodles and Quick Pickles
Ingredients
For the tofu:
- 400 g (14 oz) tofu
- 3 tbsp canned coconut milk
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves
- approx. 20 g (0.75 oz) fresh ginger
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
- 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
- 0.5 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt
- pepper
- wooden or metal skewers
- vegetable oil for frying
For the sauce:
- 400 ml (1.66 cups) canned coconut milk
- 1 tbsp red Thai curry paste
- 4 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (or gluten-free soy sauce)
- agave syrup
For the pickled cucumbers:
- 1 cucumber
- 2 shallots
- 3 Thai chilies
- 1 tbsp agave syrup (or sugar)
- 1 lime (juice)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- salt
To serve:
- rice noodles
- sesame seeds
- chopped peanuts
- lime
Instructions
Start by pickling the cucumbers. Halve the cucumber and shallots and slice them thinly. Carefully slice the Thai chilies into thin rounds. Add everything to a small bowl along with the agave syrup, lime juice, rice vinegar, and salt. Massage everything together briefly with your hands so it's well combined, then set aside until serving. After this step, wash your hands thoroughly so you don't accidentally rub chili residue into your eyes.
Cut the tofu into larger cubes. In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, soy sauce, grated garlic and ginger, and all the spices into a thick sauce. Add the tofu cubes and mix well. Then thread several tofu cubes onto each skewer. Don't throw away the remaining marinade.
Heat vegetable oil in a large pan and fry the tofu cubes on all sides. Keep brushing them with the remaining thick marinade as they cook.
At the same time, whisk together the canned coconut milk, red curry paste, crunchy peanut butter, and soy sauce in a small saucepan and warm through. Season with agave syrup to taste and let everything simmer on low heat.
Prepare the rice noodles according to the package instructions.
Toss the cooked rice noodles directly with the sauce and divide them among serving plates. Top with sesame seeds and chopped peanuts, and serve with the tofu skewers, pickled cucumbers, and a few extra lime wedges.
