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NEXT MAIN MENU PREVIOUS Gado Gado One of my most memorable meals with at the old Logan Beach Club, which became Café Lula, a perennially trendy dining spot, not long after. What made that meal so special was their weekly (or was it monthly?) Indonesian Night; it was the first time I’d ever had peanut butter in such a savory and memorable way. Ever since, I have been a major fan of how the childhood sandwich spread takes on such a rich and unusual dimension when paired with veggies as well as spicy, salty and sour seasonings. Feel free to use the veggies you like or have available, but a mixture of steamed and raw produce is classic for gado-gado, along with a meatless protein. I used tempeh, because that was in my first bowl of gado-gado, but tofu, seitan or - while less traditional - chickpeas would work just as well. I will admit, this is a labor intensive dish, though it is easy to make. It will take a bit of time. I like to steam the veggies separately because different ones have different cooking times. The mixture of crunchy, steamed textures and a variety of flavors plus a creamy, flavorful and rich sauce is just heaven as far as I’m concerned.   Speaking of great food, check out our e-book, Fun, Festive and Fabulous Vegan Holidays for Everyone: Recipes, Puns, Historic Lore, Tips and More to Help You Celebrate Without Compromise, and I think you will LOVE it. We cover ten celebrations along with more than 70 previously published and brand-spanking-new recipes – all vegan and gluten-free – that are designed for everyone from beginning to more experienced cooks to recreate in their own kitchens with ingredients that are easy to access, helping you to live it up, vegan style. Whether you’re vegan or omnivorous, whether you celebrate certain holidays or not, you will find dozens of really fun, delicious and damn impressive recipes to enjoy year-round, along with puns, historic lore, advice and so much more to keep you interested. So much value-added! Vegan Holidays for Everyone is for everyone who likes to enjoy great food without compromise.   Gado Gado (This was what I used: again, feel free to use the veggies you like) Persian or Kirby cucumbers, sliced Mung bean sprouts Red cabbage, steamed or raw Carrots, steamed Potatoes, steamed or boiled Tempeh, sauteed (I sauteed with a touch of coconut oil, tamari and rice wine vinegar) Broccoli, steamed Peanut Sauce 1 ½ cups roasted, unsalted peanuts 1 cup full-fat coconut milk 1 tablespoon tamarind paste 1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 1 tablespoon coconut sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced Optional: thinly sliced bird’s eye chilis, coriander and additional lime wedges on the side In a large saute pan, cook the peanuts over a medium heat for about six minutes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until the peanuts are ground. Transfer to a blender and combine with the other sauce ingredients, blending until smooth. It will be thick. If it’s too thick, add a bit more coconut milk. Meanwhile, steam your other cooked veggies and gather it all in smaller bowls, along with the raw veggies. In one large, wide bowl or in individual serving bowls, lay stripes of veggies in vertical lines, and drizzle peanut sauce over the top. (We used a frosting dispenser for this!) Sprinkle any optional extras, like chili slices and coriander, over the top. If in a large bowl, toss and serve. If in individual bowls, serve and allow diners to mix themselves but make sure the bowls have enough room for this. In other words, you may want to go a little bigger so there is room for mixing. © 2013-2018, Vegan Street