Satay Grilled Aubergine Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the satay: Place the tofu in a folded dish towel and gently press to remove excess liquid. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes.
• Cut the thicker white and light green stalks of the scallions into 1-inch pieces. Thinly slice the thinner, dark green scallion stalks on the diagonal and reserve for the garnish.
• Make the peanut sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add shallots, chiles and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender. Add the peanut butter, 5 tablespoons kecap manis and ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon water, and blend until almost smooth. (It makes about 1 ½ cups.) Transfer sauce to a small bowl. (If the sauce thickens, add more water by the tablespoon until it is pourable.)
• Assemble the satay: Place a cube of eggplant onto a bamboo skewer, followed by a piece of pineapple, bell pepper, scallion, tofu and another piece of eggplant. Repeat with the remaining skewers.
• Heat the grill or a griddle pan over high. Use a pastry brush to dab the 1/4 cup oil all over the skewers. Once hot, line the skewers on the grill or griddle pan, working in batches as needed. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 2 to 3 minutes with a metal spatula or tongs, until the eggplant is cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
• Prepare the glaze: Mix 4 tablespoons kecap manis with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Brush the glaze all over the skewers.
• Pool about 1 cup peanut sauce onto a large serving plate, spreading it close to the edges of the plate. Lay the cooked skewers on top, then spoon the remaining peanut sauce on top. Drizzle lightly with 1 tablespoon of kecap manis, and garnish with the sliced scallions.

Steps:

• Prepare the skewers: Put pork in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together shallot, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and coconut milk, and pour over meat. Toss with your hands to coat well. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Meanwhile, soak 12 bamboo skewers in water.
• Prepare the cucumbers: Put cucumbers in a mixing bowl and season with salt. Add lime juice, sugar, shallots and chiles and toss to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes. Check seasoning, then transfer to a serving dish.
• Prepare the peanut sauce: Pulse the peanuts briefly in a food processor just until finely ground. Add the garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, cayenne and coconut milk, and process until well puréed. Transfer to a bowl, then taste and adjust seasoning. Thin a bit with lime juice or water as desired.
• Thread 2 slices of pork onto each bamboo skewer, keeping the meat as flat as possible. Grill over hot coals, under the broiler or on a stovetop grill pan for 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer to a platter and garnish with cilantro and basil leaves. Serve with cucumber relish and peanut sauce.