Gado-gado Jakarta
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
20 mins
-
Cook Time
10 mins
-
Total Time
30 mins
-
Servings
6 portions
-
Calories
470 kcal
-
Course
Lunch
-
Cuisine
Indonesian
Gado-gado Jakarta
Description
This traditional dish assembles a variety of boiled or blanched vegetables and tofu, including spinach, bean sprouts, lettuce, cabbage, green beans, carrot, and cucumber, alongside hard-boiled eggs. The peanut sauce is made by grinding peanuts with bird's eye chili, tamarind paste, palm sugar, salt, dried shrimp paste (optional), lime juice, sambal terasi or sambal oelek, and kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), blended to a smooth yet slightly thick consistency similar to double cream.
The sauce's balance of savory, sweet, sour, and spicy notes enhances the freshness and natural textures of the vegetables. Typically garnished with prawn crackers and optionally fried onions, the dish provides varied textures and flavors.
Gado-gado Jakarta is served as a main or side salad, offering a nutritious, flavorful option that highlights Indonesian culinary traditions and peanut-based sauces.
Notes recommend using raw peanuts fried evenly for freshness and provide instructions for making tamarind paste if unavailable. Alternatives for sambal terasi and chili quantities allow flavor adjustments to taste.
Ingredients
For the peanut sauce
- 7 ounces peanuts Or fried peanuts. See the note, roasted
- 4 tablespoons peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons palm sugar Or dark muscovado sugar and dark brown sugar.
- 3 teaspoons tamarind paste see the note.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sambal terasi see the note, or Sambal Oelek
- 2 bird’s eye chili see the note, fresh, red
- ¼ teaspoon dried shrimp paste or 1 tsp of fish sauce - optional
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons kecap manis sweet soy sauce.
The vegetables and more
- 4 ounces spinach fresh or frozen.
- 5 ounces bean sprouts
- 1 lettuce
- ½ cabbage small
- 100 grams green beans
- 1 carrot large
- ½ cucumber
- 200 grams extra-firm tofu
- 4 egg
For garnish
- prawn crackers
- onion optional, fried
- kecap manis aka sweet soy sauce
Instructions
For the sauce:
- Using pestle and mortar, grind the peanuts with chilli, tamarind paste, sugar, salt, and shrimp paste (if using) until the nuts become as smooth as possible.
- Add in lime juice, and water little by little as you mix it.
- Add more water if the sauce is too thick. But do it little by little as you don’t want the sauce to become runny.
- You can use the blender or food processor if you wish. Just put everything together and give it a blitz until you get a nice thick peanut sauce with a slightly runny consistency. Your sauce should be as thick as heavy cream (double cream).
For the vegetables:
- Have the spinach blanched with hot boiling water for a minute or two, drain and set aside.
- Soak the bean sprouts in hot boiling water for a minute or two, drain and set aside.
- Cut the lettuce in thick slices.
- Slice the cabbage thinly and boil for about 2-3 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cut the green beans into 1-inch lengths, and parboil them. Set aside.
- Cut the carrot in julienne sticks and boil them for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Boil the eggs, let them cool and slice. Set aside.
- Cut potatoes in big cubes and boil until thoroughly cooked. Set aside.
- Cube the tofu and shallow-fry until slightly-light golden.
- Slice the cucumber.
- Arrange the vegetables on a plate however you like, then pour the peanut sauce generously over the veggies, and sprinkle some fried onions on the top if you use.
- Enjoy your gado-gado with prawn crackers.
Notes
- Frying raw peanuts requires constant stirring to ensure even cooking.
- To make tamarind paste from a tamarind block, soak in hot water, soften, and strain the juice.
- Homemade Sambal Terasi or extra chili and shrimp paste can be used to adjust spiciness and flavor.
- Adjust chili and shrimp paste quantities to taste for heat preference.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6portions
Amount Per Serving
Calories 470 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 470kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 39g | 13% |
| Protein | 22g | 44% |
| Fat | 28g | 43% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 20g | 118% |
| Cholesterol | 125mg | 42% |
| Sodium | 1195mg | 50% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 23g | 46% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
