Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 300 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 150 g cabbage, shredded or cut into bite-sized pieces
- 150 g green beans, trimmed and halved
- 100 g spinach, washed, stems removed
- 100 g bean sprouts, rinsed
Protein
- 250 g firm tofu, pressed and cut into cubes
- 15 ml vegetable oil, for pan-frying
Peanut Dressing
- 120 g smooth natural peanut butter, unsweetened
- 100 ml water, warm
- 30 ml sweet soy sauce, known as kecap manis
- 20 g palm sugar, grated
- 15 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 10 g tamarind paste
- 2 garlic, peeled
- 1 birds eye chili, stem removed
- 2 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 349 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbohydrates
- 37 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 12 g
- Sodium
- 817 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Potassium
- 1037 mg
- Calcium
- 230 mg
- Iron
- 5.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 141 mg
- Phosphorus
- 284 mg
- Zinc
- 2.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 133 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 40 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 176 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.24 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.24 mg
- Niacin
- 6.2 mg
- Folate
- 137 mcg
- Water
- 265 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil at 100C (212F). Add the cubed potatoes and cook until fork-tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander to drain.
In the same boiling water, blanch the green beans and cabbage for 2 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon. Finally, blanch the spinach and bean sprouts for just 30 seconds. Drain all vegetables well and set aside to cool.
Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Carefully add the tofu cubes and pan-fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
In a blender or food processor, combine the peanut butter, warm water, sweet soy sauce, palm sugar, lime juice, tamarind paste, garlic, chili, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy. If the sauce is too thick, add an extra splash of warm water.
Arrange the cooked potatoes, blanched vegetables, and fried tofu on a large serving platter or divide evenly among individual bowls.
Generously pour the peanut dressing over the assembled salad just before eating, or serve the dressing on the side as a dip.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve a more authentic depth of flavor in the sauce, dry-roast whole peanuts and grind them yourself instead of using commercial peanut butter.
- Ensure your vegetables are drained very thoroughly after blanching. Excess water will dilute the rich peanut dressing when assembled.
- If you want to prepare this in advance, keep the blanched vegetables, fried tofu, and dressing in separate containers in the refrigerator. Assemble only when ready to eat.
- Kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) is essential to the flavor profile, offering a molasses-like sweetness. If unavailable, simmer regular soy sauce with an equal volume of brown sugar until slightly thickened.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store dressing and vegetables in separate airtight containers. Do not store assembled.
Troubleshooting
Peanut dressing is too thick and clumpy
Cause: Natural peanut butter can vary in moisture, or the water added was too cold, causing fats to seize
Fix: Whisk in additional warm water, 10ml at a time, until the desired consistency is reached
Prevention: Ensure water is warm to help emulsify the peanut butter and sugar
Blanched vegetables are mushy
Cause: Vegetables were left in the boiling water too long
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Strictly time the blanching process and prepare an ice bath for delicate greens if necessary
Cultural Context
Gado Gado literally translates to mix mix in Indonesian. It is a wildly popular street food across the archipelago, traditionally made fresh to order by vendors who grind the peanut sauce on large stone mortars (cobek) right before your eyes. While every region and vendor has their own variation of vegetables and proteins, the soul of the dish is always the complex, sweet-and-savory peanut dressing.
