Charred chicken satay bowls

Spring is here and I am INTO it! Lighter evenings, lighter mornings, lighter eating... hell yes. When spring vegetables start to appear in the shops in abundance, then you best believe I am buying up as much as I can and chowing down. After months of roast root vegetables and expensive limp spinach leaves, it is SO SO GOOD to have light vegetables back on my plate.

These charred chicken satay bowls can be prepped ahead, and when you're ready to eat it only takes a short time for the chicken to cook while you cut the vegetables and prepare the sauce, then it's ready to eat. I made this version using skewers, but if you can't be bothered with that fuss, just cut the chicken into bite sized chunks and marinate it like that.

Try this

For the chicken and marinade (made ahead of time)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut cream

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp tumeric

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons of soy sauce

2 teaspoons of fish sauce (optional)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cm of fresh ginger, finely grated

Juice of 1 lemon

3 chicken breasts

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, then add the chicken cut into large strips (or cubed if you don't want skewers) and add it to the marinade, coating completely. Cover with wrap and refrigerate for a few hours, but preferably overnight.

For the sauce

1/2 cup coconut cream

1/2 cup peanut butter (I love Nut Brother's super crunch)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice

1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

A handful of fresh coriander

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl until combined - taste for seasoning.

When you're ready to eat

1 tablespoon of oil, for frying

Fresh vegetables of your choice (I used cabbage, beans, broccoli, radish, sprouts, asparagus and cucumber)

1/4 cup roasted peanuts

Fresh coriander for garnishing

Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread the strips onto skewers loosely. If you pack it together too tightly it will take longer to cook all the way through. Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat, then add the skewers, ensuring you turn them onto each side to char evenly every few minutes. Test them for doneness after 10-15 minutes - the juice will run clear and the meat will be white.

Use fresh vegetables, or briefly blanche them if preferred, then arrange them on a plate, top with the skewers and garnish with chopped peanuts, a squeeze of lime and more coriander.

Two dinner bowls on a table