BY CK LAM

Satay has been selected as the No.11 Must Eat hawker food through an online poll on the VisitPenang website in 2009.

Satay, originally a Malay cuisine, has been fusioned and adapted by many races, as the idea of meat on the stick has been appealing since the early days. In Malaysia, the more popular type of skewered meat would be the chicken and beef.

Ah’ Basri Satay
Ah’ Basri Asian Satay Restaurant located at D’Piazza Mall, opposite the cross junction of PISA (Penang Indoor Stadium Arena) has its own unique variations of Halal satay. The amazing varieties include these few types of meat…

Chicken     –     RM1.00
Beef         –     RM1.40
Beef Stomach    –    RM1.50
Lamb         –     RM1.40
Deer         –     RM1.50
Squid         –     RM2.50
Kangaroo     –     RM2.50

The satay is chunkier then what one will find from the ordinary satay stalls. The skewers of meat marinated with a blend of spices are grilled over charcoal fire with enticing smoky charred flavor. They are served accompanied by the thick peanut sauce with a dollop of red chili sauce and raw onions plus cucumber. The meat goes well with the Nasi Himpit (rice) @ RM1 per portion. Among the favorites would be the tender lamb followed by the flavorful squid and chicken satay.

Besides the satay, there are various types of Wrap to savor. It’s a nice change having the Lamb Wrap and Beef Wrap @ RM4.80 per wrap which has a portion of the meat, together with some satay sauce, cucumber and vegetable. Great tastes all rolled in one!

Business Hour : 11am - 11pm (daily).

Jawa Mutton Satay
If you make your way to Chowrasta Market in the heart of Georgetown, you could definitely find this Jawa version Satay Kambing (mutton satay). Each of the mutton satay sticks cost RM0.55 cents. The seasoned and marinated mutton satays are grilled over charcoal right in front of the shop, filling the air with irresistible flavors all down the road. The owner still uses the traditional method of fanning the charcoal fire with a hand held bamboo fan!

What adds to the uniqueness of this mouth watering satay is the gravy! The gravy is mixed on the spot using black sauce, palm sugar, chili and peanut. Since it is prepared on the spot, the spiciness can be adjusted according to your taste as well. The thick satay sauce is very different from what we usually get around town; as it has a unique taste and with more crunchy coarse pieces of peanut. Some lime juice is squeezed in to give a nice tang.

The stall is housed inside Restaurant SW Srimanis, located in Tamil Street, closer to Penang Road. Click here for the Map Location. Business Hour : Early lunch till late evening (daily).

You can find many more other satay outlets with their specialties around Georgetown.

Written by CK Lam, food blogger and editor of http://www.what2seeonline.com ; featuring the Best of Penang Food. She constantly combs Penang for the best gastronomical delights and loves promoting Penang Cuisines, Culture and Heritage.