Gado-Gado (Gado-Gado) — Indonesian Salad with Peanut Sauce

• 250 gfirm tofu (drained and cut into 2.5 cm cubes)
• 200 gtempeh (cut into 1 cm slices)
• 45 mlneutral oil (for pan-frying)
• 4large eggs
• 300 gwaxy potatoes (peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks)
• 200 ggreen cabbage (cut into wide shreds)
• 160 glong beans (cut into 5 cm lengths)
• 160 gbean sprouts
• 200 gcucumber (halved lengthwise and sliced)
• 300 glontong rice cakes (cut into bite-size pieces)
• 120 groasted unsalted peanuts
• 3 clovegarlic (roughly chopped)
• 2red Thai chiles (stems removed; seed 1 chile for a milder sauce)
• 1 tsptoasted terasi shrimp paste
• 35 gpalm sugar (finely shaved)
• 1 tbsptamarind paste
• 1 tbspfresh lime juice
• 2 tbspIndonesian sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 180 mlwarm water
• 20 gfried shallots
• 40 gemping melinjo crackers

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a medium saucepan of water to a gentle boil and lower in the eggs. Cook for 9 minutes, then transfer the eggs to cold water for 5 minutes before peeling and halving them.

2. 2

   Put the potato chunks in a separate saucepan, cover with water by 2 cm, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until tender but not collapsing. Drain them well and spread them on a tray so excess steam can escape.

3. 3

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the vegetables. Blanch the cabbage for 1 minute, the long beans for 2 minutes, and the bean sprouts for 20 seconds, lifting each vegetable out with a spider and rinsing briefly under cool water to stop the cooking.

4. 4

   Heat the neutral oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry the tofu cubes for 6 to 8 minutes and the tempeh slices for 4 to 5 minutes, turning them until lightly golden on the edges, then drain them on a rack or paper towel.

5. 5

   Make the peanut sauce by grinding the roasted peanuts, garlic, chiles, toasted terasi, palm sugar, tamarind paste, lime juice, sweet soy sauce, and salt in a mortar or food processor. Add the warm water gradually and blend until the sauce is thick, spoonable, and slightly textured rather than completely smooth.

6. 6

   Taste the sauce and adjust only with measured additions if needed: 1 teaspoon lime juice for brightness, 1 teaspoon palm sugar for sweetness, or 1 tablespoon warm water for a looser texture. The finished sauce should be savory, sweet, tangy, and nutty, with enough thickness to coat the vegetables.

7. 7

   Arrange the potatoes, cabbage, long beans, bean sprouts, cucumber, tofu, tempeh, lontong, and egg halves on a large platter or individual plates. Spoon the peanut sauce generously over the top just before serving so the vegetables stay fresh and distinct.

8. 8

   Finish the gado-gado with fried shallots and emping melinjo crackers. Serve immediately while the fried tofu and tempeh still have some texture and the blanched vegetables remain bright.