Gado Gado Indonesian Peanut Salad (Printable Recipe)
Indonesian salad featuring crisp veggies, tofu, tempeh, eggs, and a silky peanut sauce for a vibrant meal.
# Ingredients You'll Need:
→ Peanut Sauce
01 -
180 millilitres water; add more if it's too thick
02 -
1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 -
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
04 -
1 teaspoon fish sauce
05 -
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
06 -
2 tablespoons kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
07 -
225 grams roasted unsalted peanuts
08 -
3 cloves garlic, peeled
09 -
2 Thai or bird’s eye chilies, fresh, cut in half and tops trimmed
→ Vegetables and Garnishes
10 -
Fried shallots to scatter on top
11 -
Fried shrimp crackers (just follow your package instructions)
12 -
1 medium lime, sliced for squeezing
13 -
3 Persian cucumbers, cut into thick rings
14 -
2 roma tomatoes, each chopped into 8 wedges
15 -
2 tablespoons neutral oil (split between tempeh and tofu)
16 -
225 grams tempeh, sliced into thin triangles
17 -
225 grams firm tofu, drained and cubed about 2.5 cm
18 -
450 grams bunch spinach (not baby kind)
19 -
225 grams bean sprouts
20 -
1 medium chayote squash (roughly 225 grams), chopped into bite-sized chunks
21 -
115 grams green beans, ends snipped off
22 -
1/4 medium green cabbage (around 285 grams), cored and shredded
23 -
4 large eggs
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Pop the chilies and garlic in your food processor. Give them a bunch of quick pulses. Drop in the peanuts and blend them up until it’s almost powdery. Next, dump in the kecap manis, fish sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and salt. Blend that all up. Pour in half your water, blend again, then add the rest. Mix until it’s smooth but still a little thick. Thinning it out? Just splash in more water a tablespoon at a time. Scoop it all into a bowl and keep it nearby.
02 -
Grab a big saucepan and drop in those eggs. Cover with cold water, about three-quarters full. Put the pan on medium-high and let it boil. Once bubbling, take it off the heat, pop a lid on, and let it just sit for 10 minutes. Move the eggs into icy water to chill, then peel and slice ‘em longways.
03 -
Get your water boiling again. One veggie at a time, toss in your cabbage (about two minutes), green beans (a minute or two just until they’re bright), sprouts (in and out, maybe a minute), chayote (four or five minutes, fork should sink right in), and spinach (just a couple of minutes until it droops). Lay everything on paper towels so they don’t get soggy.
04 -
Heat up one tablespoon of oil in a big nonstick pan over medium-high. Fry up your tempeh triangles until both sides are crispy and golden, about 2–3 minutes each side. Take ‘em out. Add your second spoon of oil, then pop the tofu in. Let it sit and turn until a couple sides get a nice golden color, roughly 4–5 minutes total. Pile it with the tempeh when you’re done.
05 -
Cut up the tomatoes into wedges. Slice the cucumbers into rounds. Wedge the lime so everyone can grab a piece.
06 -
Lay out all your veggies, eggs, tempeh, and tofu on a platter or big shallow bowl. Drizzle over about 60 millilitres of peanut sauce. Sprinkle plenty of fried shallots. Use the lime, shrimp chips, and all the leftover sauce on the side for everyone to help themselves.
# Extra Tips:
01 -
You can get the sauce and blanched veggies done the day before. Just pop them in airtight containers in the fridge.
02 -
Tempeh and tofu taste best fried fresh, right before you want to eat.
03 -
Anything left will keep in the fridge up to five days.