Kajang Satay

Satay is eaten across Malaysia and Indonesia, but Kajang is the town whose name attached to it: from the early twentieth century satay sellers there built a reputation that turned a small Selangor town into the reference point, and the shops now range from open-air stalls to large air-conditioned restaurants doing thousands of skewers a night. The meat - chicken, beef, mutton, and at some places rabbit or venison - is marinated in turmeric and lemongrass, threaded on bamboo, grilled over charcoal and served with a thick peanut sauce, compressed rice cakes called ketupat or nasi impit, sliced cucumber and raw onion. The peanut sauce is the thing that varies between shops and is what regulars argue about. It is an evening food, and the shops fill from about six.

What you actually see

• Charcoal-grilled skewers - chicken, beef and mutton over open fires.
• Thick peanut sauce - the element that differs shop to shop.
• Ketupat and cucumber - compressed rice cakes and raw onion alongside.
• Evening trade - the shops filling from about six and running late.

When to go

All year; evenings. A meal.

Honest expectations

Kajang traffic in the evening is heavy and parking is difficult. Popular shops have long waits. Skewers are ordered by the dozen and the bill adds up faster than expected.

Nearby

Semenyih and Broga Hill are south; Kuala Lumpur is north-west.