Gado Gado Indonesian Vegetable Salad Recipes

GADO GADO (MIXED VEGETABLE SALAD WITH INDONESIAN PEANUT SAUCE)

Steps:

• Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 20 to 25 minutes, until fork-tender. Peel and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) cubes.
• Prepare a bowl or tub of ice water. Blanch the cabbage for 1 to 2 minutes, until translucent and wilted, and transfer to the ice bath. When cool, drain on kitchen towels. Set aside. Repeat with the spinach (30 seconds to 1 minute), bean sprouts (30 seconds to 1 minute) and green beans (3 to 4 minutes).
• Arrange the vegetables, eggs and tofu or tempeh on a large platter. Serve with a bowl of Indonesian Peanut Sauce, with the vegetable chips and fried shallots on small plates alongside. Each diner should pick and choose an assortment of ingredients to put on their plate. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of peanut sauce over the vegetables and top with vegetable chips and fried shallots. Stir everything together and enjoy!

VEGETABLE SALAD WITH PEANUT SAUCE (GADO GADO)

Steps:

• Step 1: In a large bowl, place 1/2 head shredded cabbage; pour boiling water over to cover; leave 1 minute; drain thoroughly. Set aside. Repeat process for 8 ounces bean sprouts, leaving only 10 seconds.
• Step 2: In boiling salted water, cook 8 ounces green beans until tender, but still firm, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain; refresh under cold running water; drain thoroughly. Cook 1 small cauliflower (divided into florets) in boiling salted water until tender, but still firm, about 5 to 7 minutes; drain thoroughly.
• Step 3: Wash 1 pound fresh spinach thoroughly; discard stems. Put spinach in large pan with 1/2 inch water; bring to boil; cover; cook over high heat until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes; drain thoroughly; chop coarsely.
• Step 4: All vegetables can be prepared up to 12 hours ahead and kept, covered, in refrigerator.
• Step 5: One hour before serving, arrange all cooked vegetables, along with 1 cucumber (peeled, seeded, and cut into sticks) in piles on a rectangular platter or in wedges on a round platter. Spoon peanut sauce over vegetables; leave to marinate 30 to 60 minutes at room temperature.
• Step 1: In a frying pan, fry 1 1/2 cups (8 ounces) shelled fresh peanuts in 2 tablespoons peanut oil, stirring constantly until browned.
• Step 2: Transfer to food processor or blender with 1/2 chopped onion, 1 clove peeled garlic, 1/2 teaspoon dried hot peppers, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Puree until very smooth, adding a little hot water if necessary so mixture churns well.
• Step 3: Work in more hot water, adding enough to make sauce that is thick enough to coat spoon. Transfer sauce to saucepan; simmer 2 minutes, stirring. Taste for seasoning. Note: Peanut sauce can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and kept, covered, in refrigerator.

GADO-GADO

Steps:

• Heat a large frying pan over medium-high. When hot, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons oil and add the tofu slices. Season the tofu well with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Cut tofu into squares or triangles.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and blanch for about 4 minutes or until just tender. Just before the beans are ready, add cabbage and bean sprouts to the pot and shock them in the water for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer the vegetables to a colander, refresh under cold water and drain well.
• Bring the same pot of water (add more water and salt, if required) to the boil, and add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the satay sauce: Place the peanuts, sliced shallots, garlic and chile into a blender or food processor, and blitz until it becomes a chunky paste. You can add a splash of water to get the blender going, or if you prefer a smoother paste. (It is traditional to use a mortar and pestle to make the paste, so if you have one, use it.)
• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-low, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and add the paste, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the kecap manis, palm sugar, salt and 1 cup water. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce is well combined. (Peanut sauce can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator for 7 days.)
• To serve, divide the blanched vegetables, potatoes, tofu, cucumber, tomatoes and eggs over several serving plates or assemble it all on one large serving platter. Drizzle each plate generously with the peanut sauce and top with crispy fried shallots.

GADO GADO SALAD

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and boil a small saucepan of water. Fry the tofu for a few mins each side until brown and crispy, then transfer to a plate. Add the potatoes to the frying pan and cook for a few mins until they are warmed through and starting to crisp, then tip onto the same plate and set aside to cool.
• Add the eggs to the boiling water and cook for 7 mins, then plunge them straight into cold water. Fill the saucepan with fresh water, bring to the boil and add the beans. Cook for 2-3 mins until just tender. Drain and run under cold water until cool.
• To make the peanut dressing, put the peanut butter and kecap manis in a bowl and mash together with a fork until smooth and combined. Whisk in the remaining ingredients.
• Put the tofu, potatoes, beans, cabbage, cucumber, beansprouts, carrot and coriander in a large bowl or arrange on a platter. Drizzle over half the dressing, reserving the rest for people to help themselves. Break the prawn crackers in your hands and scatter over. Peel and quarter the eggs, and serve on top with the crispy onions. Toss together just before serving.

GADO GADO: INDONESIAN SALAD

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil; add salt, cabbage, bean sprouts, and green beans.
• Boil vegetables for 5 minutes; drain.
• Boil potatoes in a separate pot until tender then peel them.
• Cut potatoes, eggs and cucumber into slices.
• Heat peanut sauce on low heat.
• Arrange the green vegetables on a very large platter.
• Cover them with the sliced potatoes, eggs and cucumbers.
• Pour the peanut sauce over the entire platter and serve.
• Serving Ideas : Serve with white rice and a meat dish.
• NOTES : The peanut sauce may be made by hand or bought.
• We put the Gado Gado in a large casserole dish.

GADO GADO (INDONESIAN SALAD WITH PEANUT SAUCE)

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Bring to simmer then cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly so the bottom doesn't catch, until it thickens. If too thick, just add more water - should be able to drizzle it (see video for thickness).
• Taste and adjust as follows: lime for more sour, salt, sugar for sweet.
• Cover and keep warm.
• Bring a saucepan of water to the boil.
• Add potatoes and cook for 5 minutes or until cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to colander to drain.
• Cook beansprouts for 3 minutes or until just wilted. Transfer to colander, press out excess water.
• Add spinach, push under to submerge - will instantly wilt. Remove, transfer to colander, press out excess water.
• Slice into 0.75 x 5 cm / 1/3 x 2" slices (or thereabouts).
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook tempeh 2 min on each side until deep golden and crispy. (Tofu ~ 1 1/2 min)
• Either make one platter for sharing, or individual. Vegetables and egg can be served warm or at room temp, sauce should be served warm (it thickens when cool).
• Place vegetables and tempeh on serving plate, top with egg.
• Pour sauce into serving bowl.
• Serve Gado Gado Salad with peanut sauce, peanuts for sprinkling, fresh chillies and prawn crackers on the side.

INDONESIAN VEGETABLE SALAD WITH PEANUT SAUCE (GADO-GADO)

Steps:

• Prepare the dressing: In a blender or food processor, blend the first 6 ingredients (garlic to roasted peanuts) until smooth. Add the water and coconut milk, blend again until smooth. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 10 minutes. Allow to cool before using.
• Prepare the salad: Combine all the remaining ingredients (cucumber to eggs) in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over and serve.
• If you like, the salad ingredients can be set out separately rather than mixed altogether. The dressing can be served in individual bowls rather than poured over all.

GADO-GADO RECIPE (INDONESIAN SALAD WITH PEANUT SAUCE)

Steps:

• Place your pulp in the first bowl and pour the hot water over it. Leave to soak for 10 minutes, mashing with a fork halfway through, to loosen the pulp.
• At the end of 10 minutes, mash it up well with your fingers. Strain the tamarind mix through a large mesh sieve or strainer, pushing down on the pulp in the strainer. You don't want a fine mesh, as you won't get the essence of the tamarind juice which will be too big to go through. Set aside until needed.
• Place the raw or blanched peanuts in a small frying pan over medium heat and toast for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low after 2 minutes, so the peanuts don't brown too quickly and burn.Keep tossing and flipping the peanuts until they are a light brown colour and giving off a sweet and nutty aroma.
• When done, tip the nuts onto a large, flat plate and leave to cool for for at least 15 minutes while you get the other ingredients going.
• Place the toasted peanuts in a chopper and pulse to a fine state. Set aside for adding to the sauce.
• Halve the onion, and roughly chop the chillies.
• Add the onion, garlic, chillies and dried shrimp to a food chopper and chop to a fine state. You could also use a pestle and mortar for this.
• Heat the oil in a mdium saucepan over medium heat.
• Fry the ground ingredients for 2 minutes.
• Tip in the peanuts and tamarind juice. Stir, then pour in the water and give it a stir to mix well. Bring to a simmer.
• Add the coconut milk, palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves, sweet soy sauce and salt. Give it a good stir and bring back to a simmer. Lower the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes.I like the sauce to be fairly thick, so that it will stick to whatever you dip into it. If you want to drizzle it, just add a little more water to make it slightly runnier.
• Take it off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Check seasoning, and add a little more salt if you need it. The sauce is meant to be strong in flavour, like any salad dressing, as it's meant to be eaten with unseasoned vegetables.Leave the sauce until you are ready to serve.It can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge, covered.The sauce is served at room temperature, but you can have it hot, if you prefer.
• Eggs - boil the eggs, cool and peel them. Then halve or quarter them.
• Potatoes - scrub clean, then cut into bite-sized cubes. Boil them for about 7 minutes until a knife glides through easily. This will depend on the size of your cubes. Drain and set aside.
• Tempeh and Tofu - cut into bite-sized cubes and fry separately in a frying pan until crisp and lightly browned, about 3 minutes for each. Drain onto kitchen paper lined plates and set aside.
• Spinach - you can quickly blanch this in a pot of simmering water, or do like I do and use the microwave oven. Give them about 60 seconds, tossing halfway, so they cook uniformly.
• Green beans & Beansprouts - I prefer to leave these raw but you can blanch them in a pot of simmering water.
• Cucumber - cut these into sticks or chop them up roughly into bite-sized pieces like when served with satay.
• Cabbage - shred them or cut them into bite-sized pieces. Leave them raw or blanch them, if you like.
• Tomatoes - halve or quarter, depending on size of the tomatoes you are using. I tend to leave cherry tomatoes whole.
• Salad Leaves - leave them whole or cut them, it's matter of preference.