A Humble Snack with a Rich History
January 29, 2016 by Larry Shapiro
Satay is one of the most popular street food treats in Singapore. And with good reason. It’s not just grilled meat on a stick. It’s so much more.
Satay has a unique taste, history and character all its own. While skewered grilled meat comes from many lands, like shish kebob from Turkey and yakitori from Japan, most people don’t know much about satay, except that it tastes great.
Satay’s Roots and the Famous Satay Club
Satay traces its roots to South East Asia, specifically Indonesia and Malaysia. Today, many versions can be found throughout both countries, as well as other South East Asian destinations.
In Singapore, satay has a rich and unique cultural history paralleling the growth and redevelopment of the Lion City itself. Perhaps my own Singapore satay experience tells the story best.
My love affair with satay goes back to my first Singapore adventure years ago. I heard the Satay Club was THE place to try satay, so I figured I had to join.
It turns out the Satay Club was not the cozy, members-only, venue my imagination conjured up. Instead, the so called “Club” was an outdoor cluster of perhaps 15-20 Malay food hawkers who set up shop after dark in a park.
The rich aroma from bites of beef, chicken and mutton on small bamboo sticks grilling over charcoal under the hot, muggy tropical Singapore night sky was everywhere. It’s tough to imagine a better invitation to sit down and eat.
Enthusiastic locals, visitors, and business people sat on brightly colored plastic stools huddled around small tables drinking ice cold Tiger beer while hawkers pitched 20-30 stick platters of assorted satay.
Why Singapore Satay Tastes So Good
Every hawker chef has his own unique recipes, of course. But great satay begins with marinating the meats in an aromatic blend of turmeric and other spices. Next the skewers are continuously basted while cooking over charcoal using specially designed satay grills, until the meat is slightly charred and turns a beautiful shade of amber or mahogany, depending on the meat.
But the key to terrific satay is the always present, spicy and slightly sweet peanut sauce loaded with crushed peanuts. There are many versions, but nothing can beat the bold, chunky and complex layered flavor Singapore hawker stalls deliver.
What You’ll Get
Satay is inexpensive and typically sold in bundles of 10 skewers of beef, chicken, mutton or sometimes shrimp. Sharing a combo order is most fun.
Your plate includes diced cucumbers, slivers of onion and pieces of ketupat, a dense, white, somewhat bland but filling rice cake, and of course, peanut sauce.
Where to Find the Best Satay
Typical of Singapore’s relentless and sometimes controversial efforts to modernize, the Satay Club was torn down some years ago to make way for a huge redevelopment project along the scenic waterfront.
Pushed by redevelopment, some of the Satay Club hawkers moved on to other areas of the city, but several put down roots not far away at Lau Pa Sat, a historic hawker center in what’s now the bustling central business district.
Lau Pa Sat—also referred to by its formal Malay name, Telok Ayer Market—is worth a special visit on its own to sample many other kinds of Singapore street food specialties. Plus it’s a very interesting historical site. The building is a restored victorian structure dating back to the late 1800s, fabricated with intricate cast iron support columns imported from Glasgow.
But the best thing is that you’ll be able to sample the recipes from the largest collection of satay vendors in Singapore. Ignore the friendly touts, with a smile, and just sit where you like, watch the show and take your time ordering from whoever’s satay looks the best or where there’s a line.
More Details
Lau Pa Sat Festival Pavilion hawker center, 18 Raffles Quay. Operates 7 days a week. The satay vendors don’t open until around sunset. But other food stalls are open all day. Close MRT stations: Raffles Place, Downtown and Telok Ayer.
c 2016-2023 Larry Shapiro/Fork on the Run
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