Penang Satay Stalls

Satay (16 August 2008)

Penang Satay is a Malaysian-style kebab. It is served with a sauce dip, and slivers of cucumbers and onions. Sold by mostly Malay or Chinese hawkers, satay is grilled on the spot over a charcoal fire. The meat used is usually chicken and sometimes beef and mutton. Chinese hawkers also sell pork satay, although this has become not as popular as the chicken satay. Skewers made from lidi (coconut frond midrib) is used to hold the meat. Satay is sold by the number of sticks.

The satay sold by Malay hawkers is often served with ketupat, a compressed rice cake wrapped in woven palm leaf. Among Chinese satay hawkers, ketupat has not caught on. Instead, it is served with grilled bread brushed with coconut oil. Both Malay and Chinese satay hawkers serve the satay with slivers of cucumber and onions.

There is a variation to the satay dip among Malay and Chinese hawkers too. Although both dips are peanut-based, the Malay version is more likely to have crunchy pieces of peanut that is visible, while the Chinese satay dip is often smooth. Batu Maung Satay is sold without dip. Instead the gravy is applied to the satay and served.

Batu Maung-style satay at Good Friend Seafood, Teluk Kumbar (26 July 2009)

Let me make it incredibly easy for you to locate satay stalls on Penang Island. The food map below shows all the stalls that I have come across. You can click on the numbered pin to view more details. The stalls are also listed below the map.