Gado-gado
The famous Indonesian salad served with a rich peanut sauce.
SAUCE:
1/2 ts Galangal powder (Laos)
1 Fresh hot red or green chile, sliced
1 Clove garlic, sliced
1 tb Dark brown sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1 c Coconut milk
1/2 ts Shrimp sauce
4 tb Natural peanut butter
1 tb Tamarind liquid
1 Square inch lemon peel
VEGETABLES:
1 c String beans in 2-inch pieces
1 c Julienne of carrot
2 c Shredded Napa cabbage
1 c Fresh bean sprouts
1 c Cooked, sliced potatoes
1 c Sliced cucumber
GARNISH:
1 Piece tofu, fried brown, cut into nine cubes
1 sl Tomato
2 Hard-cooked eggs, sliced
2 md Onions, sliced, fried until golden
Directions:
Put all the sauce ingredients except the lemon peel in a blender or food processor and puree. Place in a saucepan with the lemon peel and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until thickened and darkened. Set aside and keep warm.
Blanch the beans and carrots for 3 minutes, then run under cold water to stop cooking. Blanch the cabbage and sprouts for a few seconds and run under cold water. Arrange the vegetables in layers on a platter- -cabbage, beans, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers and sprouts on top.
Garnish: Scatter the tofu cubes over the sprouts. Garnish with egg and tomato slices around the edges, then pour the sauce over and sprinkle all with the fried onions.