Satay- Indulgence

Malaysian Flavours

Malaysia is heaven to food lovers. Because it is well-known as a multiracial country, people have chance to try variety of foods from different ethics and races. Basically Malay, Chinese and Indian are the common races in Malaysia. Each of them has their own cuisines which represent their own cultures. But nowadays, it has been a norm for them to have similarities in their choice of food and one of the most preferable and a popular dish is satay.

Malaysian foods are often described as spicy and flavourful and satay is categorized as one of them. Made from chicken meats or beefs, satay is usually skewered or grilled over a charcoal fire and then served with various spicy seasonings. Its yellow characteristic comes from the use of turmeric as a necessary ingredient in the process of marinating it. Satay can easily attract the people’s attention through its nice and delicious scent. Usually it can be found along the streets and even in the restaurants or hotels. Each has its own way to serve satay more appetizing and luscious. Ministry of Tourism (2010) stated in their blog that different regions in Malaysia have developed their own unique satay recipes. It also stated that other unique variations of satay include deer satay, rabbit satay, fish satay and many other variants like satay lok-lok from Penang and satay celup (dipped satay) from Malacca.

According to Jacobi (2009) satay has begun as street food in the Indonesian island of Java centuries back. She also said that these grilled skewers are a popular party food and are a mainstay on Thai and Vietnamese restaurant menus, served as hors d’oeuvres or a small plate. This shown that satay has been the favourite and fabulous food among the Asian people since past few years. Jacobi also stated marinating the ingredients keeps them moist as the satay cook over the coals of a wood or charcoal fire. She mentioned that it also makes these boldly flavoured skewers a smart choice for grilling, as the marinade reduces the formation of cancer-causing substances. Her opinion is totally differ from some people who believe that satay is not good for healthy as it has high calories and may lead to dangerous diseases.

Ms Ng Hwa Ling, a dietitian at SGH's Dietetics and Nutrition Services has confirmed that satay has its own benefits to human body. According to her, marinated with spices, oil-glazed and barbecued over charcoal fire, satay seems like a sinful meat snack no matter how one looks at it. However, there is some nutritive value to satay and its accompaniments when taken in moderation or as a monthly indulgence. The first good thing about satay is it is in a high protein  which is needed for our body development. As well as protein, it also contains rich amount of fats. So it must be consumed in a right way to prevent an obesity problem to its consumer. Secondly, turmeric that gives satay a yellow characteristic is actually an antioxidant with cancer-preventative effects. In addition by eating satay with raw onions, it helps to prevent cancer as onions are rich of quercetin. Quercetin is mainly can reduce risk of getting coronary heart disease and stroke.

As a conclusion, satay is the most suitable dish to be enjoyed together with friends and family. With its unique and fabulous taste, it becomes one of the attractions among tourists to come to Malaysia.

Source:

http://www.healthxchange.com.sg/healthyliving/DietandNutrition/Pages/Satay%E2%80%93Not-Just-a-Sinful-Indulgence.aspx

http://www.fabfood1malaysia.com/food-recommendations.php?f=6&i=1447

http://preventcancer.aicr.org/site/News2?news_iv_ctrl=-1&abbr=pr_hf_&page=NewsArticle&id=14337&security=1047&printer_friendly=1