Gado-gado

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Sloe-Gin
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Gado-gado

Post by Sloe-Gin »

I'm having a few friends for lunch in a few weeks, to celebrate my birthday.
I started thinking of casseroles, boulangere etc, but really, I think a lighter lunch option would be appreciated all round.
I've settled on a sort of gado-gado, but with chicken instead of tofu.
How best to cook it? And what to serve with it?
There will be 5 of us, all omnivores. I have got my grandparents' beautiful blue and white platter, so can go to town on the spread and presentation.
Any suggestions much appreciated.
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scullion
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Re: Gado-gado

Post by scullion »

as i've heard of it but never made it i looked it up and found this recipe, which seems to have the most five star reviews.
regardless of the fact that it says it's vegan it would be very easy (and some in the reviews have used chicken) to convert it to omnivore.
in fact, as i have all of the ingredients (well a substitute/addition or two) in stock i'm planning to make it tonight as it sounds delicious.
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Badger's Mate
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Re: Gado-gado

Post by Badger's Mate »

Gosh it’s decades since I made gado-gado.

I’d poach the chicken; maybe use some oriental aromatics with it - ginger or galangal, lemongrass, perhaps star anise, but if so, just a hint.

Bean sprouts, peppers, green beans, potato, cucumber, boiled egg.
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Badger's Mate
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Re: Gado-gado

Post by Badger's Mate »

The first time I heard of it was on Sarah Brown’s Vegetarian Cookery series on the BBC. I’m not even sure she went as far as making Gado-Gado, but she definitely made the dressing.
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Stokey Sue
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Re: Gado-gado

Post by Stokey Sue »

scullion wrote: Tue Oct 08, 2024 11:17 am as i've heard of it but never made it i looked it up and found this recipe, which seems to have the most five star reviews.
regardless of the fact that it says it's vegan it would be very easy (and some in the reviews have used chicken) to convert it to omnivore.
in fact, as i have all of the ingredients (well a substitute/addition or two) in stock i'm planning to make it tonight as it sounds delicious.
I think that's been tweaked rather a long way, more of a one pot dinner than the original salad platter- the traditional gado gado usually contains either shrimp paste or fish sauce, nearly always hard boiled eggs (which look nice as well as providing the protein) and often prawns, tofu or tempeh
I too would poach the chicken but...

I'm not entirely convinced by Felicity's perfect version, but she goes into it in some depth as always
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2022/m ... lad-recipe

I found a recipe for a chicken gado gado gado, GB Chefs are usually decent recipes; not how I'd have cooked the chicken but it would work I think/
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recip ... ado-recipe
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scullion
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Re: Gado-gado

Post by scullion »

that looks like a rather simple salad with a peanut sauce (and meat). when i've seen it it seems more layered than that.
obviously the important bit, then, is to get the sauce right - or how you like it.

actually, i have just realised that i have had it - at a 'beautiful days' festival some years back.

ps. you could do a starter of summer rolls with sweet chilli dip to begin the raw/crunchy theme.
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Stokey Sue
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Re: Gado-gado

Post by Stokey Sue »

Both the recipes I have (Rick Stein and Charmaine Solomons) describe the dish as a salad with peanut sauce, and that's what I've always understood it to be, and had it a couple of times in restaurants

Toba, the highest rated Indonesian restaurant in London describes theirs as
Gado-Gado
Jakarta-style Vegetable Salad served with Rice Cakes, Tofu, Tempeh, and Quail egg in Homemade Peanut Sauce - Topped with Onion Crackers

https://tobalondon.co.uk/
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Badger's Mate
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Re: Gado-gado

Post by Badger's Mate »

My understanding is that it’s salad with peanut sauce. Not been to Indonesia nor Malaysia, but in restaurants of either cuisine I have eaten it served as a salad with peanut sauce. That’s how I have always made it, albeit a long time ago.
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Smitch
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Re: Gado-gado

Post by Smitch »

I had it in Bali last year and it’s exactly as people have described here. It’s really tasty
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Pepper Pig
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Re: Gado-gado

Post by Pepper Pig »

So is it a bit like Bang Bang chicken without the chicken then?
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Rainbow
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Re: Gado-gado

Post by Rainbow »

Smitch wrote: Tue Oct 08, 2024 11:34 pm I had it in Bali last year and it’s exactly as people have described here. It’s really tasty
I've eaten a few variations in Bali, but all basically the same type of salad with peanut sauce and hard-boiled eggs. Very tasty and alway a good vegetarian option.
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