GADO-GADO. VEGETABLES WITH PEANUT SAUCE
We think this is a perfectly balanced meal. There are plenty of vegetables, a little protein and lots of flavour. Gado-Gado can be served as a meal in itself or as a side dish.
The vegetables traditionally used in Gado-Gado are cooked potatoes, blanched green beans, bean shoots, carrots, cabbage and cucumber. But we like to ad-lib a bit and use whatever is in the crisper. Try blanched snow and sugar snap peas and crisp, raw red capsicum. Both add texture and colour to the dish. Asparagus and celery are good too.
The boiled eggs are a must for traditionalists but for a vegan version, tofu is a great option and adds protein, essential for a nutritionally balanced dish.
Peanut sauce is served on the side and, because it is so delicious, we like to be very generous. Our crunchy Peanut Sauce recipe is a particularly good one as you first make a base which will keep in the fridge for weeks. Simply decant what you need, add coconut cream and voilà.
Happy, healthy eating!
Rosie
GADO-GADO. VEGETABLES WITH PEANUT SAUCE
For 2 servings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks and simmered until just cooked through
125 gm green beans, sliced diagonally, blanched and refreshed
125 gm fresh bean sprouts, raggedy tails removed, blanched and refreshed
2 carrots, peeled, cut into thick julienne, blanched and refreshed
¼ small Savoy cabbage, leaves separated and torn, blanched and refreshed
1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into chunks
100 gm snow peas, blanched and refreshed
100 gm sugar snap peas, blanched and refreshed
1 red capsicum, seeded and cut into wide strips
4 eggs, medium boiled, peeled and halved
Vegetable oil for brushing
Crunchy peanut sauce to serve (see below)
Toss each vegetable variety in a little oil to glaze then arrange on a serving platter. Serve a bowl of warm peanut sauce on the side.
Peanut Sauce
140 ml peanut oil
1 teaspoon dried garlic flakes
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
2 large dried chillies
1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste (belacan or trasi)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon gluten-free dark soy sauce
375 gm gluten-free crunchy peanut butter
1½ tablespoons palm sugar or dark brown sugar
1 400ml can coconut milk
Heat the oil in a wok to a moderate heat and fry the garlic flakes for a few seconds until golden brown. (Lower them into the oil in a fine wire mesh strainer, remove quickly and drain on kitchen paper.)
Fry the onion flakes in the same way. Drain and cool.
Fry the chillies for less than a minute until puffed and crisp. Drain and cool. Discard stalks and seeds and crumble or chop chillies and set aside.
In the oil remaining in the pan, fry the shrimp paste, crushing it with the back of a spoon. Add the lemon juice and soy sauce. Remove from the heat and add the peanut butter and palm or dark brown sugar, stirring until well blended.
When the peanut mixture is quite cold stir through the crisp onion and garlic flakes and the crumbled chillies.
This base will keep for weeks in the fridge. When ready to use, mix in enough coconut milk to achieve the consistency you want, warm gently and add salt to taste.