Indonesian Vegetable Salad with Peanut Dressing

Gado-Gado Jakarta

Ingredients

Vegetables: 1/2 small cabbage (shredded), 2 carrots (julienned), 200g green beans (cut 2-inch), 2 cups bean sprouts, 2 potatoes (boiled, sliced), 1 cucumber (seeded, sliced). Protein: 4 hard-boiled eggs (quartered), 200g fried tofu (cubed), 200g tempeh (fried, sliced). Peanut Dressing: 1 1/2 cups roasted peanuts, 3 garlic cloves, 5 red chilies, 2 tbsp palm sugar, 1 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 tsp shrimp paste, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 tsp salt. Garnish: Emping crackers, fried shallots.

Detail Steps and Procedure

1. Blanch Vegetables: Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Prepare ice bath. Blanch each vegetable separately: cabbage (1 min), carrots (1.5 min), green beans (2 min), bean sprouts (30 sec). Immediately transfer to ice bath to stop cooking, then drain.

2. Prepare Protein: Boil eggs 10 minutes, cool in cold water, peel, quarter. Pan-fry tofu and tempeh until golden, set aside.

3. Make Dressing: Blend peanuts, garlic, chilies, shrimp paste with 1/2 cup water until smooth.

4. Cook Dressing: Transfer paste to saucepan. Add remaining water, palm sugar, tamarind, salt. Cook over medium heat 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened to creamy consistency. Adjust seasoning.

5. Assemble: On large platter, arrange blanched vegetables, potato slices, cucumber, tofu, tempeh, and egg quarters in separate sections.

6. Serve: Pour warm peanut dressing over salad just before serving, or serve on the side. Top with fried shallots. Serve with emping crackers.

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