Indonesian Vegetable Platter
(Indonesia) serves 8
Gado Gado (gah-doh gah-doh) This dish, which is also found in
Malaysia, is a wonderful way to use fresh vegetables. Indonesians serve
this dish at room temperature.
Vegetables:
Cook or steam each vegetable separately until crisp-tender:
½
small head cabbage, cut up
1 small head cauliflower
4 carrots, cut in small strips |
1
½ cups fresh green beans, chopped or French-cut
2 cups fresh or canned bean sprouts
other vegetables added or substituted |
Drain vegetables and keep to one side in
separate bowls, reserving stock for peanut sauce.
Peel and quarter: 4
eggs, hard-cooked
Slice: 2
medium cucumbers and 6 to 10 radishes
Peanut sauce:
Saute in 3 tablespoons oil: ½
cup onions, finely chopped and 2 cloves garlic, minced
When onions are soft and translucent,
reduce heat and add:
3
½ cups vegetable stock or water
2 teaspoons hot peppers, chopped, or tabasco sauce to taste
2 teaspoons lemon juice, grated rind of 1 lemon
|
1
c cups chunky peanut butter
2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon ginger root, finely grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce* and 1 teaspoon brown sugar |
(note: Indonesians use a sweet soy
sauce. If you cannot find it, use regular and add brown sugar as
directed)
Simmer 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings to
taste.
Group vegetables attractively on a large
platter around a bowl of peanut sauce. Be sure to arrange with attention
to color. Garnish with eggs, radishes and cucumbers. Serve with hot
rice. To eat, each person takes a serving of rice, tops it with
vegetables and ladles peanut sauce over the top.
Options: For a more authentic sauce,
substitute coconut milk for part of stock. Add shelled and deveined
shrimp, steamed to the platter.
Recipe from Extending the
Table: a world community cookbook by Joetta Handrich Schlabach,
Herald Press, 1991, p. 135
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