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Gado-gado is a
traditional dish in Indonesian cuisine, and
is comprised of a vegetable salad served
with a peanut sauce dressing. Although it is
to be eaten as a main meal, many Western
countries describe it simply as a salad. It
is widely served from hawkers carts, stalls
(warung) as well as in restaurants both in
Indonesia and worldwide.
Jewish
Recipes:
Gado-gado
Gado-gado is part of a wide range of
Indonesian sauce & salad combinations; with
lotek, pecel and karedok. In many places, to
retain authenticity in both the production
and flavor, the peanut sauce is made in
individual batches, in front of the
customers (see picture on right-hand side).
However, since the dish has gained
popularity (because of the increase of
Asian-themed restaurants) Gado-gado sauce is
now mostly made ahead of time and cooked in
bulk, although this is probably more common
in Western restaurants rather than in
Indonesia. Compared to both standard Western
salads and Indonesian versions of this dish,
Gado-gado has much more sauce in it. Instead
of being used as a light dressing, the
vegetables should be well coated in the
sauce.
Many stores now offer Gado-Gado dressing in
dried blocks to which you simply add hot
water, making it easier and cheaper to cook
at home.
Ingredients
Vegetable salad
The exact composition of the vegetable salad
varies, but usually compromises some form of
mixture of
* blanched - shredded, chopped, or sliced
green vegetables (such as cabbage, kang-kung),
bean sprouts, young boiled jack fruit,
string bean, bitter melon, and corn (outside
of Indonesia, people improvize with whatever
vegetables that are available). uncooked -
sliced cucumber and lettuce.
* fried tofu and tempeh.
* sliced boiled potatoes.
* peeled and sliced boiled eggs.
The authentic gado-gado does not have carrot
and tomatoes. Only the aforementioned
vegetables are added to the dish.
Peanut sauce dressing
What distinguishes gado-gado from a plain
vegetable salad is the peanut sauce
dressing, which is poured on top of the
vegetable salad before serving. The
composition of this peanut sauce varies as
well. One may use a commercial Indonesian
peanut sauce or satay sauce, or make the
sauce oneself. For making the sauce, the
common primary ingredients are as follows:
* ground fried peanuts (can be substituted
with kidney beans for a richer taste)
* coconut sugar/palm sugar (can substitute
with brown sugar)
* chillies (according to taste)
* limo lime juice
* terasi (dried shrimp paste)
* tamarind water
* water to dilute
Note the above is for Jakarta style
gado-gado. Gado-gado is always served with
some kind of crackers, generally they are
inexpensive tapioca crackers, or also with
Emping (Indonesian style fried crackers, the
latter is made from melinjo)
In Indonesia, Gado-gado is usually served
with rice, lontong (rice cake wrapped in
banana le |
