Sosatie is the Afrikaans word for kebab or skewer. My mother, sister and I shared this as a starter at MAO, a marvelously fresh restaurant with a Irish owner/manager (no potatoes only) and I was al fired up to try my own version for a picnic on the beach one hot autumn evening…beautiful.

For 5 people you need:

5 free-range boneless chicken breasts

1 cup plain yoghurt

about one teaspoon chopped garlic and another one of chopped ginger

two pinches smoked paprika/curry powder (you choose)

How to go about it:

To make the marinade: mix up all of the ingredients except the chicken in a shallow bowl with a fork. Cut the chicken breasts lengthways in two. Toss the chicken in the marinade so that it is coated evenly, cover and leave in the fridge for 1/2h to 2h, depending on how you are pressed for time.

To make the peanut sauce:

3 TB smooth peanut butter

2 TB soya sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

The juice of 2 limes

and 3 TB hot water

Throw everything except the water into a processor or blender and mix t0 combine. Whiole still pulsing, pour the water in to thin it out a bit, but use your senses here, if you see it does not need any more water, leave it just like that – just make your finishing touch by pouring it in a bowl and voila!

Next take 10 bamboo skewers* and thread the chicken pieces through, but don’t let the skewers stick out, at the top or when going through the chicken, it should only be there to hold onto. Heat a griddled pan if you have one, or you can do it on the braai (barbecue). Brush the pan with oil so that the skewers don’t stick. Now add the chicken and hear it sizzle! Turn them around after 2 minutes and fry on the other side for 2 minutes. Check if it is cooked by making a cut in the middle and peeking in. Serve with the ppp-peanut sauce as a dip!

*The skewers can be soaked in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent them in turning into charcoal.