Photo by Lori Maffei.
I wish I could take the credit for this perfectly sweet/salty, crunchy salad. It’s very much in line with my favorite dishes, which usually include a mix of raw and cooked vegetables and lots of different textures. This Gado Gado is courtesy of one of my favorite cookbook authors, Robin Robertson. I had the pleasure of being a part of her Fresh From the Vegan Slow Cooker blog book tour last September (remember that Banana Brown Betty? So good.), and today I’m really excited to share a recipe from her latest release, Nut Butter Universe.
I’ve mentally bookmarked just about every recipe in this cookbook, so I had a tough time deciding which one to share. I hope I’m not embarrassing myself, but the Gado Gado won out because I initially didn’t know what that was. Am I living under a rock here, or did you also have no idea? Maybe I’ve been working from home for too long?? Regardless, it’s totally delicious. And like many of the savory recipes in Nut Butter Universe, it reminds me of something I would order at a restaurant. It includes lots of flavors and textures, and yet the preparation is simple and lends itself well to leftovers.
I love simple. And I love leftovers. Add peanut butter to those qualities, and you have a definite winner.
- 1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil or ¼ cup water
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1 large clove garlic, chopped
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 1½ tablespoons wheat-free tamari
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon natural sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 cups green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
- 1 cup small cauliflower florets
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
- Heat the oil or water in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the shallots and garlic. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the peanut butter, tamari, lemon juice, sugar, cayenne, and coconut milk. Simmer over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring to blend.
- Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender, and puree until smooth, adding water or more coconut milk to thin, if needed.
- Steam the green beans and cauliflower just until tender and place them in a large bowl.
- Add the carrots and cabbage.
- Pour the sauce over the vegetables and toss to combine.
- Sprinkle the bean sprouts and peanuts on top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
©2013 Robin Robertson. Used with permission from Vegan Heritage Press.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
I think I’ve had it before but definitely did not know it was called Gado Gado! Have you ever done a roundup of your favorite cookbooks? I’m always on the lookout for new recommendations and I love your recipes and cooking style so I’d be interested to hear what’s on your shelf.
I haven’t done a cookbook roundup, but that’s a great idea!
I love anything that has peanut sauce involved! its looks so simple and tons of flavor. I have never heard about this dish- guess we both are living under the rock
Agreed about the peanut sauce! And I’m glad I’m not the only one who hadn’t heard of gado gado.
Looks delicious! Anything with peanut butter and I’m IN. And I’ve totally never heard of gado gado before – glad to be enlightened!
I never knew what Gado Gado was, but am SO glad I know now! Yummmm!
I’ve Gotta Gotta get some!
i love this crunchy salad and i need to get a hand on the book!
The book is great, Richa! I’ve tried a few recipes now and all have turned out very well.
I was reading your Kombucha post from a year ago. I’m trying to make some but I’m uncertain if what I’ve got is the real deal or vinegar. My growing thing is nothing like I’ve seen on the websites. It’s more like a thin rubbery coin. Any ideas. Will it get bigger and become more like it shown.
It’s hard to say since there are so many factors that can affect the final result. Environmental factors, like temperature, can also have an impact on the SCOBY. I ended up discarding the SCOBY I grew from scratch and went with one from Hannah at Kombucha Kamp, and since then, I’ve had much better results. My advice would be to consider the Brew Now Kit. The finished kombucha is much better than the stuff I was using from my homemade SCOBY, and buying from Hannah’s site takes out a lot of the guesswork. You can read more about my decision to buy a SCOBY here if you’re interested.
Thanks, but the links are for the US. If I try to buy the post office will nuke the stuff to a crisp once it lands in Shannon. I’ve seen a place here that I might ring directly. Thanks again, and happy St Patrick’s day.
Looks awesome. I just pinned the recipe so hopefully I’ll be making it soon
Hey Amanda, I just saw your website. I saw the oat cookies recipe on pinterest then my eyes fell on Gado-gado! I am an Indonesian. I come here to study. So excited to see my home food is here!
Though back home, we use sweet soy ketchup instead of tamari, and we always use fresh chili instead of cayenne powder. But your recipe looks good!!
Thanks, Ester! It’s actually a recipe from Robin Robertson’s new cookbook, so I can’t take the credit. Good to know about the sweet soy ketchup (I don’t think I’ve had that before!) and the fresh chili.