Mixed Vegetable Salad with Peanut Sauce (Gado-Gado)

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  package  chinese-style firm tofu
• 1  teaspoon ketjap manis
•  oil (for deep frying)
• 6  cups  vegetables
•  hard-cooked egg, for garnish
•  fried onion flakes (to garnish)

• GADO GADO SAUCE

• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic
• 2  tablespoons  minced shallots
• 1  tablespoon  minced, fresh galangal or 1  teaspoon ground galangal
• 1  teaspoon dried shrimp paste
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  ground dried chile or 1⁄4 teaspoon sambal oelek
• 1  cup  oil
• 1⁄2 cup raw peanuts
• 1  teaspoon brown sugar or 1  teaspoon palm sugar
• 1  cup  thin coconut milk (The thin stuff from the bottom of a can of coconut milk.)
•  salt, to taste
• 1⁄2 lime, juice of, , to taste

Directions

1. (a variety of the following): cabbage, in 1-inch squares; bean sprouts; carrots, sliced or julienned; green beans, in 2-inch pieces; potatoes or sweet potatoes in large dice; sliced cucumbers; watercress sprigs; tomato wedges.
2. This is from a new cookbook I just got.
3. Haven't tried this recipe yet, but it looks dead on.
4. This is a rather free-form salad of lightly cooked vegetables; the exact contents depend on what is available.
5. What makes it gado-gado is the dressing, a creamy peanut sauce.
6. Remove tofu from package and drain.
7. Place on a plate lined with cloth or paper towels, top with another layer of towel and an inverted plate, and place a weight of a pound or more on top.
8. Let stand for 30 minutes, unwrap, and discard liquid.
9. Cut tofu into bite-sized squares or triangles and sprinkle with kecap manis.
10. Fry in 350F oil until golden brown and puffy; transfer to paper towels to drain.
11. Reserve oil to cook peanuts.
12. One at a time, blanch vegetables in lightly salted water, rinsing them in cold water to stop cooking as soon as they reach the desired degree of doneness.
13. Cabbage and bean sprouts require only a few seconds; carrots, green beans, and potatoes may take several minutes depending on size and tenderness.
14. Do not blanch cucumbers, watercress, and tomatoes.
15. use them raw.
16. Place Gado-Gado Sauce in a small bowl in the center of a large platter.
17. Arrange vegetables on platter around sauce.
18. Garnish with wedges or slices of hard-cooked egg and fried onion flakes.
19. To serve, spoon some sauce onto each plate and dip vegetables into sauce.
20. Serves 4 to 6 with other dishes.
21. --------------GADO-GADOSAUCE----------------.
22. To prepare sauce in a mortar: Pound garlic, shallot, galangal, shrimp paste, and chile to a paste.
23. To prepare sauce in a blender: Chop together in a 1-cup jar.
24. In a wok or deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until a peanut sizzles on contact.
25. Fry peanuts until lightly browned; transfer to paper towels to drain.
26. When peanuts have cooled, grind in a mortar or food processor to a coarse, grainy paste, adding a little oil if necessary to facilitate blending.
27. (May be made up to a week ahead and stored covered in refrigerator.) Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from pan and reserve for another use.
28. Return pan to medium-low heat and add pounded mixture.
29. Cook until quite fragrant, but do not burn.
30. Add peanuts, sugar, and coconut milk and bring to a boil, stirring.
31. Simmer until thick and season to taste with salt and lime juice.
32. Allow to coot to room temperature before serving.