I don’t know if this is something you’ve picked up on but I’m pretty into a peanut dressing at the moment. There was the coconut poached chicken salad, the tofu schnitzel strips and the satay Tofu. Is it getting repetitive? I hope not because this is another good one! This salad is both refreshing and filling and I’m not going to claim it’s traditional. Let’s call it my take on a Gado Gado salad instead.

 

Gado Gado is an Indonesian salad that usually involves cooked vegetables, fresh vegetables, egg and a peanut dressing. The cooked vegetables typically involve potato and my version is no different. I’ve gone light on the cooked vegetables though with just the beans and potatoes getting some heat and the rest staying fresh and crisp.

 

 

The tamarind, coconut and peanut dressing is sweet, salty and creamy and hits all the right spots. Then you’ve got prawns for some protein  but you could easily add your preferred protein such as chicken, tofu, salmon or leave it out all together.

 

 

I’m holding on to summer salad weather for as long as I can and the mixture of fresh and cooked ingredients in this salad makes it the perfect trans seasonal salad to ease into the change of season. That said I’m now gallivanting around Europe enjoying Spring so technically that’s still salad weather right?

 

 

Side note: These photos are my first play around with an actual camera rather than my phone! I have so much learning to do but it was fun to switch it up for a change!

 

Serves 4

Ingredients

400g prawns (shells on)

300g chat potatoes, quartered

200g green beans, trimmed

1/4 wombok cabbage, finely shredded

1 birdseye chilli

1/2 an avocado, finely sliced

1 lebanese cucumber, finely sliced

2 radishes, finely sliced

1.5 cups bean shoots

1 Tbs lime juice

4 eggs

Sauce

3 Tbs peanut butter

1 Tbs lime juice

1 Tbs sambal olek

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 Tbs freshly grated ginger

1/4 cup spring onion, roughly chopped

1 tsp maple syrup

1 Tbs tamarind puree

1 tsp shrimp paste (optional)

 

Directions

Place potatoes in  a pot and just cover with water. Bring to the boil. Add a dash of salt and then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until cooked. Drain and allow to cool. While the potatoes are cooking, place a steamer over the top of your potatoes and steam green beans for 2 minutes, or until bright green.

Bring another pot of water to the boil. Once boiling add prawns and cook for 3-4 minutes depending on size. Drain prawns and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle remove the heads and shells and clean the prawns making sure to remove the intestinal tract down the middle. Toss in 1 Tbs of lime juice.

Make the sauce by combing all the ingredients excluding the coconut milk in a small food processor. Process until well combined then add the coconut milk and process again. Add a little water if it seems to thick.

Bring another pot of water to the boil and then add the eggs (in shells!) boil for 7 minutes and then remove and place in iced water until cool enough to handle. Peel and slice in half.

To serve salad toss together the prawns and other salad ingredients excluding the eggs, chilli, avocado and dressing. Drizzle over peanut dressing and add the avocado and halved eggs to the top of the salad along with the chopped chilli. And eat!

HH. x