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There's something magical about satay. It was one of the very first dishes I tried at a hawker stall as a child. Sate daging, commonly known as beef satay, transports me back to the lively evenings at Jonker Street night market in Melaka. The streets bustle with people as the local culture is to meet up with friends around food. The simple pleasure of this dish lies not only in its preparation but also in the flood of memories it's prompts - the sweet aromas of meat juices sizzling on the charcoal grill, the buzzing atmosphere of the market, and the warmth of family around.

Proper sate daging, in my opinion, is best cooked over a charcoal barbecue. The infusion of smokiness from the charcoal into the skewered, marinated beef creates a flavour symphony that's hard to replicate. However. during those chilly months, when firing up the outdoor grill might not be the most appealing prospect, a trusty cast-iron griddle pan over a high heat works wonders in capturing that distinctive smokiness.

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Ingredients

• 400g beef fillet, cut into bite-sized chunks (roughly 3cm cubes)
• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• Peanut sauce

For The Paste

• 125g shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 fresh long red chillies
• 3cm piece of galangal, peeled

For The Marinade

• Juice of 2 limes
• 50g gula melaka palm sugar, shaved (or 3 1/2 tbsp dark brown soft sugar)
• 2 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 6 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

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First, make the paste. Place all the ingredients for the paste in a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth.

Next, make the marinade. Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and mix together thoroughly. Once combined, stir the paste into the marinade.

Add the beef into the bowl with the marinade and massage the mixture into the meat. Cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but preferably overnight.

Place 10-12 wooden skewers into a tray filled with water and let them soak for at least an hour or even overnight (to stop them from burning).

Once the beef has marinated, assemble the skewers. Thread the chunks of beef onto the skewers, dividing the meat equally between the skewers until all the meat has been used up.

Heat a cast-iron griddle pan over a high heat until very hot, then brush the pan with a little oil.

Add the beef skewers to the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side until seared on the outside. Use a cloth when turning the skewers as they will be very hot.

Serve the beef skewers immediately while hot with the peanut sauce alongside.