Satay

Satay (/ˈsɑːteɪ/ SAH-tay, in the US also /ˈsæteɪ/ SA-tay), or sate in Indonesia, is a Javanese dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce. Satay originated in Java, but has spread throughout Indonesia, into Southeast Asia, Europe, America, and beyond.

Indonesian satay is often served with peanut sauce and kecap manis – a sweet soy sauce, and is often accompanied with ketupat or lontong, a type of rice cake, though the diversity of the country has produced a wide variety of satay recipes. It is also popular in many other Southeast Asian countries including Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. It also recognized and popular in Suriname and the Netherlands. In Sri Lanka, it has become a staple of the local diet as a result of the influences from the local Malay community.

Satay may consist of diced or sliced chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, other meats, or tofu; bamboo skewers are often used, while rustic style of preparations employ skewers from the midrib of the coconut palm frond. The meat is grilled over a wood or charcoal fire, then served with various spicy seasonings. Satay can be served in various sauces; however, most often they are served in a combination of soy and peanut sauce, causing the sauce alone to often be referred to as "satay".

The national dish of Indonesia, satay is popular as street food, found in restaurants, and at traditional celebration feasts. Close analogues are yakitori from Japan, kǎoròu chuàn from China, seekh kebab from India, shish kebab from Turkey and the Middle East, shashlik from the Caucasus, and sosatie from South Africa. It is listed at number 14 on World's 50 most delicious foods readers' poll compiled by CNN Go in 2011.