Shared recipe · Indonesian
Sate Sapi – Sirloin Skewers with Sambal Tomat and Acar Flatbreads
Serves 2 · 30 min cook
Indonesian beef sate: sirloin cubed and grilled in a lemongrass–lime-leaf–chilli bumbu, with a quick cucumber acar and a sharp Mutti-tomato sambal for wrapping in warm flatbreads.
Ingredients
Sambal tomat
- 2Bird's eye chillies
- 200 gPolpa finely chopped Italian tomatoes
Acar
- 1 tspCaster sugar
- 4Cooks&Co Pickled Green Frenk Chillies (optional)
- 1Cucumber
- 1Red onion
- 3 tbspRice vinegar
Marinade
- 1 tspFine salt
- 2 tbspGroundnut oil
- 3 tbspKecap manis
- 1 tspSoft brown sugar
Bumbu paste
- 15 gFresh ginger
- 4Large Spanish garlic
- 2Lemongrass stalks
- 6Makrut lime leaves
- 3Red chillies
- 3Shallots
Protein
- 450 gOrganic pastured British sirloin steak
To serve
- 15 gFresh coriander (optional)
- 4Plain flatbreads
Method
- 1Trim the sirloin of thick external sinew, pat dry, and cut into 2.5 cm cubes. Season with ½ tsp salt and leave on a plate while you make the paste.
- 2Bash the lemongrass (white parts only, bruised then finely sliced), lime leaves (ribs removed, shredded), red chillies, peeled garlic, shallots and ginger in the pestle and mortar to a coarse, fragrant bumbu paste. Divide in half.
- 3Toss the beef with one half of the bumbu, kecap manis, juice of 1 lime, 1 tbsp groundnut oil, brown sugar and the remaining ½ tsp salt. Thread onto skewers if you have them; otherwise keep as loose cubes.
- 4For the acar: halve and thinly slice the cucumber and red onion (use a mandoline if you like). Mix with rice vinegar, caster sugar, a pinch of salt, juice of ½ lime and the drained pickled green chillies if using. Set aside to sharp up.
- 5Sambal tomat: heat 1 tbsp groundnut oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Fry the remaining bumbu with the chopped bird's eye chillies for 2 minutes until fragrant, then add 200 g Mutti Polpa. Simmer uncovered 6–8 minutes until thick and jammy; finish with a squeeze of lime and taste for salt and heat.
- 6Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet until very hot (or fire the gas/charcoal BBQ to high). Grill the skewers or cubes 2–3 minutes per side until deep browned outside and still blushing pink inside (probe about 52–54°C for medium-rare). Rest 3 minutes.
- 7Warm the flatbreads in the same hot pan 20–30 seconds a side until pliable and lightly blistered.
- 8Pile sate onto the flatbreads, spoon over sambal tomat, add a generous tangle of acar and coriander if using. Taste and add another squeeze of lime at the table so the pickle and sambal stay bright.