You’ll never look at boring vegetables the same way again after you cook this dish!

We’ve all done it, with the exception of a select few individuals. And yes, we have snubbed our noses at the sight of mere vegetables as kids. Many of us still probably do it as adults! But might I lure you into a hidden gem of a vegetarian recipe that will captivate your senses? Yes, my friends, this dish of a vegan’s dreams (and those carnivores too) will make you have a whole new perception of vegetables!

Gado gado is a delicious dish of a myriad of fresh vegetables, served with a beautiful peanut sauce. It’s basically a fresh Indonesian salad. I remember eating this so vividly when I was a child. I just love it! And this is a very colorful dish and can be served as a side dish or a full meal! You can use any type of vegetable you like, but in my recipe below, I’ll share some of the veggies to use that are considered authentic to the recipe.

Try out this recipe and see for yourself how decadent these veggies are!

Recipe

Ingredients (serves 2-3 people):

• 2 cup of fresh green beans
• 2 cup of bean sprouts
• 2 cups of white russet potatoes
• 2 cups sliced cucumbers
• 2 cups baked or deep fried tofu
• 2 cups orange pepper
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups skinless peanuts
• 2 tablespoons sambal
• 2 limes
• 1 cup dark brown sugar or palm sugar
• 1 half cup smooth creamy peanut butter
• 5 minced garlic cloves
• 3-4 cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Step 1: Wash all vegetables thoroughly.

Step 2: Slice raw potatoes into circular disks, about an inch apart. Slice cucumbers in the same manner as the potatoes. Slice the orange pepper into thin strands. Slice the already baked or deep fried tofu (you can find this already in the Asian grocery store if you don’t want to bake or deep fry the tofu yourself) into small rectangular squares. Make sure these are all measured to 2 cups each. Set all aside.

Step 3: Boil the green beans until tender but slightly crisp (around 6-7 minutes or taste accordingly). An option is to immediately put them in cold ice water for a second or two and take them out, to keep their bright green color.

Step 4: Boil the potatoes until tender but not falling apart (about 10 minutes or so). You can check with a fork to make sure it slides in but that the potato doesn’t fall apart when you do so.

Step 5: Warm up the tofu in the oven for 5 minutes or so and set aside.

Step 6: Now get a large platter and arrange all the raw and cooked vegetables and tofu on the platter. A suggestion is to line each vegetable and tofu side by side.

Step 7: Make the peanut sauce. Start with putting half a cup of oil in the frying pan. Put peanuts in and fry for 5 minutes to release the flavor of the peanuts. Then take it out and put on a paper towel to dry.

Step 8: Next, pulverize the peanuts in a small spice food processor or mortar and pestle until all ground up.

Step 9: Add the rest of the half cup of oil and slowly fry the minced garlic (make sure not to burn). Add the ground peanuts. Add the peanut butter. Add the sambal and add the juice of two limes. Then add the water. Stir as the mixture boils until it is thick and creamy. This takes about 7 minutes or so. Salt and pepper to taste.

Step 10: Put peanut sauce in a bowl and put next to the vegetable platter. You and your guests can drizzle the peanut sauce onto the vegetables they choose on their own plates.

Enjoy!!!!