Ingredients

PEANUT SAUCE

1 teaspoon grapeseed oil, corn oil, or other neutral oil

1 tablespoon red curry paste, store-bought is fine

1 tablespoon sugar

1½ cups coconut milk

1½ cups chopped roasted peanuts

1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more to taste

MARINADE

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

3 shallots, finely chopped

¼ cup peanuts, toasted and chopped ½ cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon palm sugar

2 tablespoons nam pla (Thai fish sauce)

1 tablespoon whiskey

¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch-cubes

Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

  1. To make the sauce: Put the oil in a medium saucepan and set over high heat. When the oil is very hot and almost smoking, add the curry paste and sugar and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the peanuts and soy sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

  2. To make the marinade: Put the coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet set over medium heat. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from the heat, cool completely, and grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder.

  3. Put the shallots, peanuts, ground coriander and cumin in a blender. Blend until the mixture becomes a paste. Add the coconut milk, turmeric, sweetened condensed milk, palm sugar, nam pla, whiskey, and salt. Blend again until smooth and set the marinade aside in a shallow plate.

  4. Thread the chicken cubes onto the skewers, leaving 3 inches at the end. Dip and roll each skewer in the marinade and let sit while you start a charcoal or gas grill or broiler; the fire should be medium-hot, and the grill rack should be about 4 inches from the heat source. (You can also cover the meat and refrigerate it for up to a day.) Season the skewers with salt and pepper and grill or broil for 5 minutes per side, or until lightly browned all over and cooked through. Serve immediately with the peanut sauce.