Alfresco dining - Gado Gado (Indonesian salad with peanut sauce)

I must tell you - this past weekend the weather was glorious - it was fraught with activity for us, but I did manage to steal some time in the sunshine and left the windows open and let the warm, fresh air circulate the house... just what the doctor ordered!

We also had our first outdoor meal since winter began, and it was lovely.  And although this salad isn't a quick 'throw-together-affair' it is something you could make in advance and assemble last moment.

The star of this salad is the dressing - peanut satay-ish - and with the combination of crunch from the beans, bean shoots, cucumber and carrot, and the substance of the potato and egg, it's light, but filling and personally I don't think you need to have is as accompaniment, but as a meal in itself.  Although, leftovers can easily fit that purpose or you could make it to feed a crowd at a barbeque.. (I've advised hubby the barbeque will be getting a workout next weekend!).

Ingredients:
Salad:
4 small cobs of corn, boiled for 5 minutes, and cut into disks
1 lebanese cucumber, thickly diced
6 eggs, hard boiled and crumbled
1 1/2 cups bean spouts
20 or so fresh green beans, trimmed and blanched
2 large white potatoes, diced and firmly cooked
1 medium carrot, grated with a potato peeler

Dressing:
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
2/3 cup roasted peanuts
3 cloves garlic
1 small red chili, finely chopped, seeds removed
2 tb lime juice


Method:
Chop, cook and grate ingredients as necessary

In a food processor add all dressing ingredients

Process until smooth, then add water (about 1 1/2 cups) to make it 'drippable'.

Arrange all your ingredients on a large tray or bowl (I prefer it on a tray.. easier to get the sauce on as much as possible..)  Get the kids to help with this bit!

Drizzle sauce over the top and any leftover sauce, put in a bowl, you'll want more I promise!

So put it on your meal plan for the week or even the weekend!

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