Consuming Passions - Worldwide Events Managers

Gado Gado

Serves: 8 as appetiser

Notes

An Indonesian salad which combines a platter of crisp, fresh vegetables and hard-boiled eggs, served cold, with a warm, spicy peanut sauce.

Ingredients

• 2-3 medium carrots, skinned and cut into thin strips
• 250g stringless French beans, topped and tailed
• 1 large capsicum (colour of your choice), cut into strips (discard seeds)
• 1 telegraph cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into strips
• 100g tofu, cut into cubes or tempeh (optional)
• 50g bean sprouts
• 4 hard boiled eggs cut into quarters
• 2-3 medium potatoes, cooked and cut into cubes
• 2 Tbsp crushed peanuts for garnish
• Coriander leaves for garnish
• 2 spring onions (green parts only), chopped

Peanut Sauce:

• 1 Tbsp peanut oil
• 1 Tbsp chopped spring onions, white parts
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp chilli sauce (or chopped fresh or dried chilli) (optional)
• 2 Tbsp vegetable of chicken stock
• 2 heaped Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
• 2 tsp shrimp paste or fish sauce (optional)
• 1 tsp sugar (preferably palm sugar but others will do)
• 2 tsp Indonesian soya sauce (kecap minis)
• 2-3 Tbsp coconut milk

Method

Heat the peanut oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the spring onions, garlic and ginger and cook for two minutes. Do not allow garlic to burn. Add chilli (optional) and stir. Add the stock and stir, followed by peanut butter, fish sauce or shrimp paste, sugar and soya sauce. Add coconut milk to achieve smooth consistency. To serve: Arrange a platter with carrots, cucumber, bean sprouts, capsicum, tofu and hard boiled eggs and potatoes, then pour the peanut sauce over the top