Minced pork and prawn satay skewer recipe

As well as tugging on the purse strings, takeaways can be packed full of saturated fat and excess salt and sugar, so why not try making some takeaway favourites at home? OK, so you don’t have the convenience of picking up the phone and getting food delivered to your door, but what you do get is the knowledge of exactly what you’ve put into the dish, and the smug satisfaction that you’ve saved calories and cash, while still enjoying some fun food. Try making this tasty dish as a main served with rice, noodles or salad, or as a sharing starter.

 

Ingredients

(serves 6)

For the skewers:

600g minced pork

100g raw prawns, (prawns can be minced in the Vitamix)

Half a thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated

2 garlic cloves, grated

½tsp ground turmeric

1tsp cornflour

Sea salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

15 stalks lemongrass, cleaned

For the marinade:

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 coriander root and stem, finely chopped

1 stem lemongrass, finely chopped

1tsp curry powder

2tsp ground turmeric

1tsp granulated sugar

1tbsp fish sauce

1tbsp oyster sauce

½tsp salt

250ml coconut milk

1tbsp vegetable oil

½tsp ground white pepper

For the peanut sauce:

30ml vegetable oil

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

40g red or yellow curry paste

1 (400 g) tin coconut milk

100g roasted peanuts

50g roasted sesame seeds

2tbsp fish sauce

30ml tamarind juice

100g granulated sugar

For the cucumber dip:

¼ cucumber, seeded, diced

4 bright pink radishes

1 small shallot, finely chopped

1 red chilli, finely chopped

2tbsp granulated sugar

3tbsp rice wine vinegar

1tbsp water

 

Method

Place pork, prawns, ginger, garlic, turmeric, cornflour, salt and pepper into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure the lid.

Select Variable 1. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to variable 5 or 6.

Blend until mixture is completely combined. With wet hands, mould portions around each lemongrass stalk in the shape of a sausage (about 7cm long).

Place all of the marinade ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.

Select variable 1. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to variable 8 or 10.

Blend until it is a smooth paste. You may need to use the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades.

Transfer to a bowl and then dip each of the skewers into the marinade and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, you can make the peanut sauce. Heat the oil in a wok, then stir-fry the garlic and curry paste for one minute. Add coconut milk, peanuts, sesame seeds, fish sauce, juice and sugar, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes.

Carefully pour mixture into the Vitamix container and secure lid.

Select variable 1. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to variable 10.

Blend until smooth, almost like a thin peanut butter. Keep warm until ready to use.

To make the cucumber dip, combine cucumber, radishes, shallot and chilli in a small bowl. Melt together the sugar, rice wine vinegar and water, and boil for 1 minute. Pour over the vegetables and leave to cool for 30 minutes.

Heat a griddle on high. Grill the skewers for 2 minutes or until charred on the outside and cooked through. Serve straight away with the warm peanut sauce and cucumber dip.

 

Recipe courtesy of Gizzi Erskine for Vitamix