Gado Gado – Indonesian Salad

When I first visited Indonesia, I happened to be there during Ramadan when street vendors seem to multiply, selling all kinds of prepared dishes to those fasting and not having the time or wanting to cook at home. I remember one street in Banda Aceh where vendors specialised in selling mostly sweet snacks and drinks for people to break their fast but one cart had gado gado (gado means mix and gado gado means mixes because this salad is made of so many different ingredients) where the ingredients were piled in distinct mounds inside his cart. He also had a wide stone mortar and pestle to grind the slightly spicy peanut seasoning. Gado gado can be eaten as a snack but it can also be a meal by itself. The slection of ingredients can include lettuce (as a bed for the salad), as well as rice cakes in a log shape (lontong) and tofu. I have also seen vendors include noodles. I prefer to use a limited selection of vegetables together with tempeh and here I give the classic peanut-based dressing but on some islands, they use a coconut milk based seasoning.

By Anissa Helou