Gado Gado Salad (Peanut Dressing)

Gado Gado Salad with Shrimp

I fell in love with this dish on a trip to Maui. After a week on island I was craving veggies and something light and found it on the menu at Hula Grill at Kaanapali Beach. 

I came home and began trying to replicate the dressing....and after quite a few tries I've settled on something I like.

One key to remember is to customize this dish with the ingredients you like and adjust the dressing for spiciness. Just eliminate the jalapenos for a mild delicious sauce!  Gado Gado is traditionally served with boiled potatoes, tofu and hard boiled eggs. I don't use any of those ingredients in mine but instead serve it with a rice base and lots of greens. It's an Indonesian dish and you'll find lots of recipes on line that might inspire you to make changes to my recipe. Have fun with it - it's a light, delicious and very filling dish. It's super easy to make it gluten free, or vegan and it's already a dairy free dish!

So pull out a sharp knife and your cutting board, turn on some music and start chopping.

Gado Gado Salad

Base - Cook and cool your choice of: Rice, Quinoa, potatoes (boiled), or other grain.

Layer 2 - Cooked Veggies: Blanch and cool your choice of the following vegetables:

Green Beans

Asparagus

Summer Squash

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Corn (baby corn is fun)

Layer 3 - Raw Veggies:  Slice or dice an assortment of raw veggies:

Carrot

Cucumber

Mushrooms

Tomato

Jicama

Bell Pepper

Green Onion

Peas (snap or shelled)

Avocado

Sprouts

Salad layer  - Chopped cabbage, romaine, or your favorite greens
(they are mixed in there)

 Protein layer - Cooked and chilled – chicken, fish, shrimp,  hard boiled eggs, tofu.

Toppings: Cilantro, other herbs as desired, chopped peanuts. Serve with a lime wedge and additional dressing

Dressing –layer over base layer and a bit in between other layers.  

Peanut Coconut Dressing Recipe

1 Tablespoon oil

2 Tablespoons minced shallots

2 cloves minced garlic

1 Cup coconut milk

2/3 cup natural peanut butter – crunchy is best!

1/3 cup lime juice (or lemon)

1 Tsp lime zest (or lemon)

1/3 c chopped Jalapenos – to taste

2 Tablespoons minced shallots

2 cloves minced garlic

½ Tsp coriander

½ Tsp cumin

1 Tablespoon minced/grated ginger

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon fish sauce (or 1 tsp anchovy paste)

½ Tsp sambal oelek (chili sauce)

Heat oil and gently sauté shallots and garlic (and anchovy paste if using). Add all other ingredients except lime juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10-12 minutes until the sauce is creamy, stirring often. Add Lime juice, stir and cool.