Indonesian Salad (Gado-Gado)
Submitted by TuffyLou
Gado-gado Indonesian salad with tofu, bean sprouts, potatoes, and vegetables in a warm coconut-peanut sauce. A classic street food platter with homemade dressing.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
20 minREADY
30 minGado-gado is Indonesia’s iconic vegetable salad, and the warm peanut butter and coconut dressing poured over the top is what makes it legendary street food. This version builds the sauce from scratch by blending flaked coconut with hot water, then cooking it down with peanut butter, garlic, onion, chili powder, and ginger into a thick, spiced dressing.
The salad itself is a composed platter, not a tossed bowl. Blanched bean sprouts and cabbage, pan-fried tofu cubes, browned potato slices, cooked green beans and carrots, fresh cucumber, and sliced hard-cooked eggs all get arranged separately, then drenched in that warm sauce.
Frying the tofu and potatoes in the same skillet gives them golden, crispy edges that hold up against the rich dressing instead of going soggy. That textural contrast between crispy, crunchy, and tender is what makes every bite of gado-gado different from the last.
Chef Tips
- Blend the coconut with hot water thoroughly to extract maximum coconut flavor for the sauce
- Fry the tofu until light brown on all sides, turning gently so pieces stay intact
- Blanch the bean sprouts and cabbage for just 2 minutes to keep their crunch
- Serve the dressing warm; it thickens as it cools and won’t coat the vegetables as evenly
Variations
- Add shrimp crackers (kerupuk) on the side for an authentic Indonesian garnish
- Use canned coconut milk instead of blended flaked coconut for a richer, faster sauce
- Toss in steamed broccoli or spinach to change up the vegetable mix
Ingredients
Directions
To prepare Dressing, place coconut in blender container.
Add 1 cup hot water.
Cover and blend on high speed about 30 seconds.
Cook and stir onion and garlic in oil in 2-quart saucepan about 5 minutes.
Stir in coconut and remaining ingredients.
Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.
Reduce heat.
Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
To prepare Salad, pour enough boiling water over bean sprouts and cabbage to cover.
Let stand 2 minutes. Drain. Cook bean curd in oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, turning pieces gently, until light brown.
Remove with slotted spoon.
Drain. Cook potatoes in same skillet until light brown.
Drain. Arrange bean sprouts, cabbage, bean curd, potatoes and remaining ingredients on platter.
Pour warm Dressing over Salad.
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