Gado-Gado

(Indonesian Vegetable Salad)

Serves 6-8


Ingredients:

375g long beans, stringed & sliced diagonally; parboiled in salted water
250g potatoes, boiled, peeled & sliced
250g beansprouts, tailed, blanched & rinsed well
1 small cabbage, sliced & parboiled in salted water
1 large cucumber, scored & sliced
3 eggs, hard-boiled, shelled & quartered
1 cake beancurd, cubed & fried
5 shallots, sliced & crisply fried
1¾ cup (450ml) thick coconut milk

Sauce:
2 tbsp cooking oil
310g shelled peanuts, roasted, peeled & crushed
¼ tsp dried shrimp paste
3 red chillies, seeded & chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp palm sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste


Method:

1. Arrange prepared vegetables and eggs decoratively on a large serving plate.
2. To prepare sauce: Heat oil over medium heat and fry sauce ingredients for 5 minutes.
3. Lower heat, pour in coconut milk and simmer uncovered till sauce is thick and smooth, stirring constantly. Remove.
4. Pour sauce over vegetables and sprinkle with crispy shallots. Serve with a rice meal.