Gado-Gado

Instructions

1. 1 Prepare the vegetables by blanching the cabbage, bean sprouts, and long beans separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for two to three minutes each until just tender but still crisp, then plunge immediately into ice water to stop cooking.
2. 2 Fry the tofu cubes in hot oil until golden and crisp on all sides, about four minutes, then fry the tempeh slices until deep brown and crunchy, about three minutes per side. Drain both on paper towels.
3. 3 Make the peanut sauce by grinding the roasted peanuts in a food processor until coarsely ground, then adding the garlic, chillies, tamarind paste, palm sugar, and salt, processing until you have a textured paste.
4. 4 Transfer the peanut paste to a saucepan, add the kecap manis and warm water, and cook over low heat for five minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth, thick, and heated through. Adjust consistency with more water if needed.
5. 5 Drain the blanched vegetables thoroughly and arrange them on a large serving platter in sections: cabbage, bean sprouts, and long beans grouped separately alongside the sliced boiled potatoes and cucumber slices.
6. 6 Place the fried tofu cubes and crispy tempeh slices on the platter alongside the vegetables, then arrange the hard-boiled egg quarters around the edges as a garnish, creating an attractive, colourful display.
7. 7 Pour the warm peanut sauce generously over the entire platter, or serve it in a separate bowl for diners to add as much as they prefer, ensuring every component gets coated in the rich, spicy, sweet sauce.
8. 8 Serve the gado gado immediately with prawn crackers for scooping and optional lontong rice cakes on the side, presenting this beloved Indonesian vegetarian feast as a complete, satisfying, and nutritionally balanced meal.