Gado Gado

Origin: On the islands of Indonesia, where oceans divided and yet everything mingled, a salad was born that refused to choose sides. Gado-gado — “mix-mix” — a name that says it all.

Boiled vegetables, tofu, eggs, tempeh, potatoes, and sometimes lontong rice cakes, all bound by a rich, earthy peanut sauce. A meal that is both humble and ceremonious.

It began as a farmer’s food — whatever was fresh, gathered, or leftover — united by the sauce that turned simplicity into celebration. Over centuries, traders brought chilies, peanuts, and spices; colonizers brought new crops and chaos. Still, gado-gado remained itself: a bowl of quiet rebellion, a reminder that diversity need not mean division.

Each bowl is a small act of resurrection: crisp and soft, bright and grounded, sour and green.

Each bite carries the philosophy of the archipelago — that harmony is not uniformity, but coexistence.

Ingredients

“ Gado Gado translates to “mix mix”—and that’s exactly what it is: a glorious pile of lightly cooked vegetables, boiled eggs, tofu, tempeh, potatoes, and crunchy extras, all unified by the true star: a deeply seasoned peanut sauce.”

Salad Components

2 cups green beans, blanched

1 cup cabbage, blanched or raw

1 cup carrots, julienned or steamed

1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed

2 boiled potatoes, sliced

1 block fried tofu or tempeh, cubed

2 hard-boiled eggs, halved

Cucumber slices

Crispy shallots or fried garlic, to garnish

Optional: prawn crackers, rice cakes, or crispy wonton strips

Peanut Sauce

½ cup natural peanut butter or ground roasted peanuts

2 garlic cloves

1–2 red chilies, to taste

1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar

1 tbsp tamarind paste (or squeeze of lime + splash vinegar)

1 tbsp soy sauce

½ cup warm water (or more to thin)

Optional: dash of coconut milk or shrimp paste for depth

How The Alchemy Happens

Blend all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add warm water to reach desired consistency. Adjust sweetness, spice, and salt.

Arrange salad ingredients on a large platter in groups or piled together.

This dish loves drama.

Pour sauce over the top—or serve on the side for dipping and drenching.

Garnish with crispy shallots and a handful of fresh herbs if desired.