Mushroom Satay (Satay Het Hom)

This vegetarian Thai satay skips the meat entirely and uses dried Chinese mushrooms instead. They’re spiral-cut into long strips (like peeling an apple in one go), marinated, threaded onto sticks, and grilled until smoky and chewy. The meaty texture of rehydrated shiitake-style mushrooms holds up beautifully on the grill.

The marinade is a proper Thai aromatics paste. Galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, coriander roots, and garlic get pounded together in a mortar, then mixed with curry powder, soy sauce, coconut milk, and ground coriander and cumin. This paste penetrates the mushroom strips during at least 30 minutes of marinating, infusing them with layers of citrusy, herbal, spiced flavor.

The peanut sauce is the other star. Red curry paste gets fried in oil until fragrant, then coconut milk, ground roasted peanuts, sugar, salt, and lemon juice stir in until thick. That red curry paste is what gives it color and heat, while the coconut milk makes it creamy and rich.

Serve the skewers on a plate with the peanut sauce for dipping and fresh cucumber pickle on the side.

Chef Tips

• Presoak the dried Chinese mushrooms in hot water for at least 30 minutes until fully softened before cutting.
• Spiral-cut carefully. Start at the outer edge and work toward the center to get one continuous strip per mushroom.
• Fry the curry paste briefly before adding coconut milk. This step blooms the spices and deepens the sauce color.
• If you can’t find coriander roots, use the lower stems of fresh cilantro as a substitute.

Variations

• Use fresh king oyster mushrooms instead of dried Chinese mushrooms for a firmer, meatier bite.
• Add a tablespoon of tamarind paste to the peanut sauce for a tangier, more complex flavor.
• Serve with little triangles of toast for guests who want to scoop up extra sauce.