During my time living in India, I was lucky enough to attend a number of workshops hosted by Dr Nandita Shah, an amazing woman who first opened my eyes to the amazing benefits of whole-food plant-based eating. And this was when I first encountered gorgeous Gado Gado.
So good it’s named twice, Gado Gado is an Indonesian salad made with crunchy raw and partially cooked rainbow vegetables served with a deliciously sweet and sour peanut sauce. Whilst the veggies were delightful, it was the sauce that was so memorable. Fortunately, we were sent home with the recipes after the workshop so I made this lovely sauce frequently.
However, this came to a halt after my MS diagnosis when I started the Overcoming MS programme. Why? Well, sadly, peanuts should be avoided due to their high amounts of omega 6 fats and connection with inflammation.
Of course, I was not deterred – I just had to find a good replacement. I’ve tried a variety of nut butters including cashew nut. It was ok, but lacked a little something. For me, almond butter is the best option. It’s still not quite as good as peanut, basically because nothing can replace that lovely peanut flavour. But it’s pretty close.
If you can’t tolerate nuts or peanuts at all, then use tahini instead. It gives a much stronger sesame flavour, but texture wise it’s also rather lovely.
You can use this sauce with hot and cold dishes like:
- Gado Gado salad (of course!)
- Noodle salad
- Stir fried veg and noodles
- Tofu, veg and rice
- As a tasty dip
Soya sauce is needed to give the deep, salty flavour. If you need to make it gluten free, make sure you use tamari. And if you can’t tolerate soya or fermented foods, try coconut amines instead.
Feel free to make this Gado Gado sauce as spicy as you like. A good pinch of hot chilli powder should do the trick or a sprinkle of chilli flakes if you prefer.
I hope you enjoy this delicious Indonesian sauce as much as I do whether you go for the peanut, almond or tahini option. It brings the sunshine to your plate any time of the year.
Ingredients
Method
- Place all the ingredients into a small blender jug and blend to combine.
- Add a little water to loosen and get a spooning consistency. Blend again.
- Check the flavour and add more chilli or lime as needed.
- Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in an air-tight container.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
FYI: “Peanut butter isn’t an inflammatory food. Research suggests it has anti-inflammatory properties. Peanut butter contains magnesium and vitamin E, both of which are anti-inflammatory nutrients. Peanuts also contain linoleic acid, which is thought to be anti-inflammatory if consumed in moderation.Aug 23, 2024”
Hope this is helpful, and thanks for the recipe!
Hi Mark. Thanks for your comment. And in some ways I agree – but only with raw peanuts or peanut butter. Whilst they do contain some great nutrients like magnesium and vitamin E as well as fibre, the oils within are volatile and when roasted at high heats it can make them less healthful, especially if salt is added. Also peanuts contain mainly omega 6 fatty acids and minimal omega 3. And whilst a certain amount of omega 6 can help reduce inflammation, when the ratio is out it pushes towards inflammation. As omega 6 is readily available and omega 3 is not, peanut butter is not advisable for someone who is using diet to help reduce inflammation in a chronic health condition like MS or other autoimmune diseases. Of course, the odd peanut every now and then is not going to do harm (unless you’re allergic of course!), especially if they are unroasted.
Amazing and quick!
Great! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
What about Chinese sesame paste rather than tahini? It’s used to make the well known cold sesame noodles and has an entirely more peanut-like flavor than tahini. But, no peanut.
Hi Tehtys. I’ve not come across Chinese sesame paste before – living out in the sticks means less access to interesting ingredients! I shall see if I can find some though as it sounds like a great sub for tahini. Thanks for the suggestion.
Karen, you can find it in most Asian stores. Especially the big ones. I got mine at 99 Ranch on Long Island, most of them should have it though. While you’re at it, find a good recipe for cold sesame noodles. Such a delightful appetizer or light meal, and also makes use of this product.