Gado-Gado (Indonesian Vegetable Salad with Peanut Sauce)
In short: Boiled and blanched vegetables, potato, fried tofu and tempeh and eggs, dressed with a warm, tangy and mildly spicy peanut sauce. It takes about 1 h 15 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 h 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 550 kcal
Gado-gado means mixed, and the dish is exactly that: a plate of blanched vegetables, potatoes, eggs and fried tofu and tempeh under a thick peanut sauce. It is sold in Jakarta from carts and small stalls, where the seller grinds each portion of sauce to order. At home it makes a filling meal on its own. Serve it warm or at room temperature with crackers for crunch.
Instructions
- Boil the eggs in a pot of simmering water for 9 minutes, then cool them in cold water and peel. In the same water, boil the potatoes for 15 to 18 minutes until a knife slides in, then drain and slice.
- Blanch each vegetable separately in boiling salted water: green beans 3 minutes, cabbage 1 minute, spinach 30 seconds and bean sprouts 20 seconds. Drain well each time.
- Fry the tofu and tempeh in the oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp at the edges. Drain on paper towels.
- For the sauce, pound or blend the peanuts, garlic and chilies into a coarse paste. Add the sugar, tamarind, kecap manis, water and salt.
- Simmer the sauce for 8 minutes, stirring often, until thick and glossy. Stir in the lime juice and add a little water if it is too thick to pour.
- Arrange the potatoes, vegetables, tofu, tempeh, cucumber and tomato on a large platter. Spoon over the warm sauce, add the halved eggs and finish with fried shallots and crackers.
Tips
- Use any mix of crisp vegetables you have: long beans, bean sprouts, carrots and morning glory all work. Cook each one briefly so it stays bright and firm.
- Peanut butter can replace the roasted peanuts. Use 100 g (1/3 cup) of smooth, unsweetened peanut butter and whisk it into the simmering water and seasonings.
Questions and answers
Can I make gado-gado ahead of time?
Prepare the vegetables, eggs and sauce up to a day ahead and store them separately in the fridge. Warm the sauce, add water to loosen it, and assemble just before serving.
Is gado-gado vegan?
This version is vegetarian because of the eggs. Leave out the eggs and use vegan crackers to make it vegan. Some stalls add shrimp paste to the sauce, so ask if you are unsure.
What is the difference between gado-gado and pecel?
Gado-gado usually includes potato, egg and fried tofu and tempeh with a sweeter sauce. Pecel is a Javanese dish of blanched vegetables with a spicier sauce made with kencur (a type of ginger).
How long does it take to make Gado-Gado (Indonesian Vegetable Salad with Peanut Sauce)?
About 1 h 15 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Gado-Gado (Indonesian Vegetable Salad with Peanut Sauce)?
About 550 kcal per serving, with 27 g of protein, 44 g of carbohydrates and 31 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 550 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 27 g |
| Carbohydrates | 44 g |
| Fat | 31 g |
| Fiber | 10 g |
| Sugar | 17 g |
| Sodium | 600 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
