Indonesian Gado Gado Salad with Peanut Sauce

Indonesian Gado Gado Salad with Peanut Sauce

Take your taste buds on a Southeast Asian adventure with this crispy, crunchy, and oh-so-satisfying, Indonesian Gado Gado Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce. It’s a deliciously cooling salad for a hot summer’s day, packed with healthy nutrients, protein and incredible spicy peanut flavour.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Indonesian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 5

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 555kcal

Author Wandercooks

Cost $15

Ingredients

For the sauce:

100 g roasted peanuts salted
25 g palm sugar
2 tsp garlic finely chopped
2 Thai makrut / kaffir lime leaves stems removed
1 tsp ginger finely chopped
½ small red chilli finely chopped, use the whole chilli for an extra spicy hit
2 tsp kecap manis / sweet soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp shrimp powder belacan / terasi
1 tsp lime juice
200 ml coconut milk

For the salad:

2 large lettuce leaves roughly chopped
2 eggs boiled and halved
2 potatoes cubed and boiled
1 carrot julienne sliced
1 handful green beans blanched
1 handful bean sprouts blanched
50 g tempeh ½ cm / ¼ inch slices
50 g fried tofu cubed
1 tbsp vegetable oil for frying

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Place the peanuts into a mortar or food processor. Onced crushed to as smooth or crunchy as you like, add the palm sugar, garlic, ginger, kaffir lime and chilli and grind for a minute or two until well combined.
100 g roasted peanuts, 25 g palm sugar, 2 tsp garlic, 2 Thai makrut / kaffir lime leaves, 1 tsp ginger, ½ small red chilli
If using a mortar and pestle, transfer to a mixing bowl, otherwise place the following wet ingredients straight into your processer. Add fish sauce, shrimp powder, kecap manis, lime juice and coconut milk. Mix well and add more coconut milk if needed until the sauce has a smooth consistency.
2 tsp kecap manis / sweet soy sauce, 1 tsp fish sauce, 1/2 tsp shrimp powder, 1 tsp lime juice, 200 ml coconut milk
Put peanut sauce into a small saucepan over a low heat and cook for a few minutes until warmed up then remove.
Heat the vegetable oil in a small frying pan over high heat. Add tempeh and cook for a few minutes until browned. Add fried tofu and continue to cook until heated through (around a minute or two).
50 g tempeh, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 50 g fried tofu
Arrange salad ingredients (lettuce, eggs, potatoes, carrot, green beans, bean sprouts, tempeh and fried tofu) onto serving plates and liberally coat with peanut sauce. Serve immediately.
2 large lettuce leaves, 2 eggs, 2 potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 handful green beans, 1 handful bean sprouts

Notes

Fried Tofu - We'll sometimes buy tofu that is already fried, as it's firmer than regular tofu and will hold its shape much better. If you can't source it pre-fried, look for firm tofu rather than silken or soft tofu.
Tempeh - This is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soy. It’s full of protein with the deliciously chewy texture of a meat patty - without the meat! So it’s perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Head to the fridge section of your nearest Asian grocery, and pick yourself up a pack. Slice, fry and add to your Gado Gado for a satisfyingly spicy treat. And if you can't find it - no worries, just leave it out and/or double the amount of tofu to compensate.
Veggies - We'll typically use blanched green beans and bean sprouts along with sliced or grated carrot, fresh spinach, crispy lettuce or cabbage leaves, cucumber and tomatoes.
Fillers - Boiled potatoes are absolutely stunning paired with the spicy sauce, as are boiled eggs.
Sauce - When using a blender or food processor, the sauce ingredients are easier and quicker to prepare than you might think.
Peanut Sauce - No need to make the peanuts super smooth, a little texture is perfectly fine!
Make it in Bulk - Feed a crowd with a huge gado gado platter. Or, pre-chop all the ingredients. That way you can assemble a fresh salad each day through the week for a quick and easy lunch.
Dunk In Ice Water - After blanching the green beans and bean shoots, you can dunk them in ice water to stop them cooking and help them stay crunchy. We don't usually worry about this, but the option is there if you feel like it!
Mix Mix - You can use any mix of veggies and proteins in this salad so feel free to go nuts! It's a great way to use up leftover veggies like cucumber, tomatoes and green beans.
Stir Fry Instead of Blanch - Instead of blanching, why not stir fry the veggies. Try it with green beans, broccolini, carrots, bean shoots etc for a more caramelised flavour.
Prawn Crackers - Known as 'krupuk' in Indonesian.
Double the Fillers - Such as tofu, tempeh, potatoes or eggs to feed extra hungry eaters.
Save Time - Use pre-chopped coleslaw mix as the salad base.
Optional Garnishes - Top with more crunchy roasted peanuts, fried garlic and/or fried shallots, fresh coriander/cilantro leaves or chilli powder. (We LOVE our Japanese 7 Spice blend)
Make it an Indonesian Feast - Serve as a side dish with Indonesian corn fritters, chargrilled pork skewers or sambal telur. Yum!
Peanut Butter - If you don't have peanuts or a food processer, substitute with crunchy or smooth peanut butter.
Vietnamese Peanut Hoisin Sauce - For a different flavour profile, you can make our peanut hoisin sauce to use instead.

Nutrition