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Satay is one of a variety of Indonesian culinary delights that is easy to find in various regions in the country. Satay is made from chicken, goat meat, or beef that is cut into small pieces and skewered with bamboo sticks, then grilled using wood charcoal. Usually, satay is served with peanut sauce. While satay is generally made from meat, in Serang, Banten, there is satay made from milkfish. This satay is widely known as Sate Bandeng, or "milkfish satay".

Like satays in general, Sate Bandeng also uses bamboo skewers as its identity. The distinctive feature is that there is whole milkfish meat that is stuck into the bamboo, but the meat is boneless. It is very tasty and rich in spices. It is not difficult to find Sate Bandeng in the Banten area. The price of one satay is 45,000 Rupiah or about 3 US dollars - with a choice of spicy and original flavors.

According to a story, Sate Bandeng was present when a Sultan wanted to eat milkfish. However, the royal chef was confused because the fish had many fine spines and was dangerous if processed directly. Finally, the chef took the initiative to crush the flesh of the fish and pull out the bones and spines first, then the milkfish meat was mashed and filtered to separate the hard bones and spines. This finely ground meat is mixed with spices as a dough before being put into bamboo and grilled until cooked. This new dish turned out to be liked by the sultan and other high-ranking officials. Finally, Sate Bandeng became one of the obligatory foods of the Banten people at the time and continues to be passed down to this day. As time went by, this satay was not only enjoyed by the nobility.