Balinese Gado Gado

Peanut sauce
1 large red onion, coarsley chopped
3 garlic cloves
3 fresh chilies
6 ounces skinned peanuts
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons tamarind paste, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
2 lemongrass stalks (white part only), cut down the middle and crushed
Water as needed
Salt to taste

Salad
3 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
8 ounces bean sprouts
4 ounces green beans
4 ounces sugar snap peas
1/2 cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch-wide matchsticks
1 small head of napa cabbage, thinly sliced

Garnish
4 hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges
4 tomatoes, cut into wedges
8 ounces tempeh, cut into strips and fried, or 1/2-inch slices deep-fried tofu, fried until crunchy
Large handful of stemmed spinach leaves, shredded
1 large onion, thinly sliced and gently fried in a hot, dry pan until brown
Handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Puree the onion, garlic, and chilies together in a food processor until they form a paste.  Toast the peanuts in a pan, stirring to avoid burning.  Let cool and process in the food processor until finely ground.

Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and fry the onion paste, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  Add the ground peanuts and stir until all the ingredients are combined.  Add the soy sauce, tamarind mixture, coconut milk, peanut butter, sugar, and lemongrass.  Gently cook until all the flavors are combined and a thick sauce has formed (add a little water if necessary).  Remove the lemongrass and season the sauce with salt.

Combine all the vegetables (you can serve this dish either in individual portions or in one big bowl).  Pour the warm sauce over the salad, then arrange the eggs, tomatoes, and tempeh or tofu around the edge and pile the spinach and onion in the center.  Sprinkle with the cilantro.

Serves 4 to 6.


From World Food Cafe by Chris and Carolyn Caldicott