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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

Indonesian Gado-Gado Salad

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I first tasted this vegetable salad at a party hosted by an Indonesian couple some years back and it has been a favorite ever since.  Gado-gado is a popular dish in Indonesia and served in many Indonesian restaurants around the world. What makes it particularly special is the peanut sauce dressing – in authentic Indonesian cooking, the sauce is made with the right balance of sweet, sour, spicy, tangy and salty that perfectly complements all the vegetables. Because some of the ingredients used to make the sauce can be hard to find, here is a simpler version. You can also add proteins to the salad such as diced chicken or tofu.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

3 cups cabbage shredded or coarsely chopped

3 eggs, hard-boiled and sliced

3 cups bean sprouts (preferably fresh)

2 1/2 cups green beans, cut and blanched (or use the canned variety)

2 medium potatoes, boiled and cut

1 cucumber, sliced

For the Peanut Sauce Dressing:

1 cup peanut butter (preferably creamy)

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp hot sauce (Sriracha or any Asian hot sauce)

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp soy sauce

3 tbsp water

Once you have prepared all the vegetable ingredients, arrange them on a platter. Start with the cabbage as a bed for all the other vegetables and pile them up on the plate with the sliced potatoes and eggs on top.

In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the sauce and stir until everything is well incorporated. Taste and adjust according to your preference. Pour the peanut sauce dressing over the entire salad (it should cover all of the vegetables).

Photo Courtesy of: Banana Leaf Philippines

Beef in Satay Sauce

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Beef in satay sauce is a sweet and meaty Asian recipe that you will enjoy. It is great with rice and noodles too. For this recipe we stir-fried the beef, but you can try grilling it too. If you want to use chicken instead of beef, simply follow the same steps less the time.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon peanut oil

750g beef strips

1 fresh long red chili, sliced thinly

1 medium sized brown onion, sliced thinly

1 medium sized red capsicum, sliced thinly

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/2 cup coconut cream

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

 

Heat half of the oil in a wok or medium sized skillet over medium heat. Stir-fry the beef in batches for 4-6 minutes or until soft. Transfer to a plate.

Heat the remaining oil in the wok. Sauté the brown onion, chili and capsicum for 2-4 minutes or until they are soft. Put them on a plate.

Pour the coconut cream into the wok. Add the peanut butter, sweet chili sauce and soy sauce. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Add the stir-fried onions and beef. Cook it for 5-8 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat and serve with steamed rice.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: primalprogress

Tofu Wrap with Peanut Sauce

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After my soup streak, I am now into healthy food. I am addicted to crunchy greens and it is actually good. So I have been trying to find different recipes to cater to my current craving and my attempt to go on a diet.

It is also a good idea to season the tofu differently to get a different taste and add other vegetables if desired. Tofu Wrap and peanut sauce is a healthy snack or a light meal that is good for you and yummy too.

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortilla

8 ounces thinly sliced tofu

1 cup sliced carrots

4-5 lettuce leaves, torn

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

1 1/2 teaspoons coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon water

1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon fish sauce

1/8 teaspoon hot sauce

1/8 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

1/4 clove garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Season the tofu with salt and pepper. Bake it for 5-8 minutes or until they are brown and cooked to your desired doneness. Set aside.

Combine the peanut butter, coconut milk, water, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, hot sauce, minced ginger, garlic and cilantro in a bowl. Mix well.

Spread some peanut sauce on the tortilla. Add tofu, bell pepper and snow peas. Fold the sides and roll it up over the filling. Repeat the process for the remaining tortilla. Serve immediately.

 

Photo Courtesy Of: norwichnuts

 

 

Chicken Satay

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Satay is a popular dish in Southeast Asia, most especially Indonesia. It is grilled meat, served with peanut sauce. Each country has its own variation of the dish and it can be found almost everywhere. It is served in parties, restaurants and even sold by street vendors.

This is a dish that adults and kids will love because of its peanut buttery taste. Yum!

Ingredients:

Chicken and Marinade:

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch strips

10 (6 inch) wooden skewers, or as needed, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Dipping Sauce:

1 cup dry roasted peanuts, unsalted

1/3 cup water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar, to taste

2 tablespoons fish sauce or 3 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste or 2 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce (optional)

1/3 cup coconut milk

In a large bowl, prepare the marinade by combining 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Marinate the chicken in this mixture for at least 2 hours up to overnight.

While marinating the chicken, make the dipping sauce. Place the peanuts, water, 2 cloves minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, tamarind paste and coconut milk. Add chili or cayenne pepper if desired. Blend until smooth. Put more coconut milk if the sauce becomes too thick.

Thread the chicken on the bamboo skewers and grill for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. Turn at least once to cook it evenly.

Serve warm with peanut dipping sauce.

Photo Courtesy Of: snowpea&bokchoi