Balinese food series: Sate Lilit Ayam (ground chicken bamboo skewers)

Sate (or satay) is one of the 5 national dishes in Indonesia, together with soto, nasi goreng, gado gado and rendang. It is a very broad term. It encompasses basically anything that is put on a stick and grilled. The most typical version is chicken pieces in a bamboo skewer, grilled and poured with peanut sauce. Sate Lilit Ayam is a Balinese version of this dish consisting of a ground chicken patty, marinated in yellow sauce and wrapped around a bamboo flat skewer. Unlike the regular sate, which is a common street food, Sate Lilit Ayam is usually reserved for special occasions, such as wedding, birthdays and other celebrations. Learn how to make this Sate Lilit Ayam recipe for your next special occasion!

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Sate Lilit Ayam recipe: ingredients (15 units approximately)

½ kilo of minced chicken breast

½ cup grated fresh coconut (or if frozen, add 1 tablespoon of coconut cream)

2tbsp of base gede, basic yellow sauce

1tbsp palm sugar

1 wedge of lime

1tbsp deep fried shallots

Salt and pepper to taste

15 bamboo sticks (thicker than skewers) or ice-cream sticks

Sate Lilit Ayam recipe: instructions

1. Add the minced chicken, base gede, coconut, palm sugar, fried shallots, salt and pepper into a bowl and squeeze the lime over the mixture before mixing thoroughly.
2. Take about one tablespoon of the mixture and form a ball. Mould the ball onto the end of a bamboo stick. Repeat the process to make fifteen sticks.
3. Grill the sticks over charcoal or a hot-plate until the meat browns then serve as an appetizer or as a main course with steamed rice.

Sate Lilit Ayam recipe: variations

While you can sear the skewers over a plan or stove grill, the hot charcoal or coconut peals of the barbecue will add a smokey flavour that will really enhance the dish. This version of sate has the sauce “included” already in the patty, but you can also make some peanut sauce on the side to dip if you prefer. You can find the recipe for Indonesian peanut sauce in our Gado Gado recipe.

Closing statement

Sate Lilit Ayam being a slightly more difficult version of the traditional sate. However, it also gives it a flair of sophistication that you may be looking for in a special occasion such as a birthday celebration. Don’t hesitate to include it in your next Indonesian-themed meal or just any occasion that deserves it!

I learned this Sate Lilit Ayam recipe at Paon Bali Cooking Class by the hand of Mama Puspa, the sassy chef that led our class. You can read more about our experience with Paon Bali and Mama Puspa in my dedicated post.

Paon Bali Cooking Class review: our experience in a Balinese cooking class

You can book your class here, through Paon Bali’s website or phone number (+62 813-3793-9095).

If you’re planning a trip to Indonesia, have a look at these posts:

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