Gado Gado (Noodle and Vegetable Salad and Peanut Sauce) (Serves 4-6)
Recipe by Sukiman Kadir
This dish originated in Indonesia and exists in many different varieties
- 3½ oz shredded green cabbage, steamed
- 3½ oz long beans, steamed and cut into medium-short pieces
- 5¼ oz bean sprouts, steamed (crisp)
- 7 shallots, divided
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, divided
- 5¼ oz unsalted roasted peanuts, ground
- 2 pieces garlic
- 2 tbsp red hot chilies, ground
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp lemon grass
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 tbsp galanger
- 2 salam leaves
- 2 lime leaves
- 1 tsp shrimp paste
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 cup concentrated coconut cream
- 2 tsp light brown sugar
- 2 tsp sweet soy sauce
- 1 package yellow noodles, steamed
- 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
- 3½ oz fried bean curd, sliced
Steam vegetables as indicated and let cool. Thinly slice 2 shallots and fry in vegetable oil. Set aside. In a food processor, blend roasted peanuts, garlic, 5 shallots, red chilies, salt, and ¼ cup water. Heat a pot with vegetable oil and sauté lemon grass, ginger, galanger, salam leaves, lime leaves, shrimp paste, and lemon juice until fragrant. Add peanut mixture. After a few minutes, add coconut cream and 1 cup water. Mix until smooth. Add brown sugar and salt as desired. Add soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce becomes thick. Arrange noodles, vegetables, sliced egg, and bean curd on a platter. Pour peanut sauce on top, sprinkle with fried shallots. Garnish with shrimp crackers.
