Gado-Gado (Vegetables with Peanut Sauce)

Gado-gado, which means mix-mix, is Jakarta’s answer to the salad — a generous heap of blanched vegetables, tofu, and eggs under a blanket of warm peanut sauce. Street vendors have built lunchtime careers on this one dish, and it shows up at home whenever something hearty but light is needed. The sauce is really the star, and every family has an opinion about it. This version keeps the classic balance of sweet, spicy, and nutty.

A warm salad under a peanut sauce worth savoring

The vegetables stay crisp and bright against the rich, sweet-spicy dressing, and the fried tofu soaks up every drop it can catch. Crushed krupuk crackers on top add a shattering crunch, and a squeeze of lime cuts the richness. It is filling enough to be a meal on its own, or a fine companion to rice and fried chicken. The eggs and tofu make it substantial enough to skip meat entirely.

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