Gado-gado

A healthy and nutritious modern take on an Indonesian classic.  The slaw ingredients will keep in an airtight container for a few days in the fridge, so you can prepare the salad components and then add the extras and dressing to make a salad for one or two and have enough left over to repeat in two or three days. Serves 2. 

Ingredients 

• 1 waxy potato
• 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
• 100g (4oz) French beans
• 75g (3oz) Cucumber, cut into matchsticks
• 50g (2oz) beansprouts
• ½ Chinese cabbage, leaves separated
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and quartered
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

 
For the peanut sauce:

• 6 tbls sesame oil
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 100g (4oz) smooth peanut butter
• 6 tbls vegetable stock or water
• 2 tbls mango chutney
• 5 tbls coconut milk
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbls soy sauce
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon

1: For the sauce, heat 5 tablespoons of the sesame oil in a small saucepan and fry the chilli in it until soft. In another pan, heat the peanut butter, then add the stock or water and boil for 2 minutes. Add the chilli and its oil and remove from the heat, them add the garlic, soy sauce, the remaining sesame oil and the sugar. Season to taste and add the lemon juice; the sauce may separate slightly. Keep warm.
 
2: Boil the potato until tender, drain, then peel while still hot. Slice and keep warm. Cook the carrots and beans separately in boiling salted water, retaining their crispness. Drain them and add to the potatoes with the cucumber and beansprouts.
 
3: To serve, season the warm vegetables. Arrange the Chinese cabbage leaves on serving plates and top with the warm vegetables and eggs. Coat lightly with the sauce and serve.