Adapted from Steven Raichlen's Planet Barbecue!. He writes:
Satés in Singapore play the same role as hot dogs in New York, a popular, affordable, and democratic street snack enjoyed at all hours of the day and night by rich and poor and everyone in between. ... These satés were first served at the restaurant Wood, which featured Asia's first, and only, exclusively wood-burning kitchen (wood-burning grill, oven,smoker, and rotisserie).
Serves 6 as an appetizer, 4 as a light main course
• 1½ pounds ribeye steaks (about ½ inch thick)
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce or soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Cut the steaks, including the fat, into ½-inch cubes and place them in a nonreactive mixing bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, coriander, turmeric, cumin, pepper, fish sauce, and oil. Let the beef marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 2 hours; the longer it marinates, the richer the flavor will be.
Drain the cubes of beef, discarding the marinade. Thread the beef onto bamboo skewers, leaving the bottom half of each skewer bare for a handle and ¼ inch exposed at the pointed end. The satés can be prepared several hours ahead to this stage. Refrigerate the satés, covered, until ready to grill.
