Raw vegetable gado gado salad recipe

Summers in Spain tend to include lots of blue skies, plenty of sun and hot days, so we love to include some raw food in the meals that we serve here at the retreat, for the freshness and crispness that it brings to each meal.

Gado gado salad is popular street food in Indonesia and Malaysia. The word “gado” means mix, or medley, so the actual ingredients include a variety of vegetables, which change depending upon the season and where you are (what is available). At first glance, it looks like a long list of ingredients, but actually it is very simple to make. You will need a blender, food processor or hand-blender to make it however.

Traditionally the base is peanuts, garlic, lime and (for non-vegans) shrimp paste. For a full salad, there is usually a carb item included, like potatoes or rice, but at the retreat this is a side dish, served with a carb dish, so we leave these items out. Many recipes include tofu or tempeh (or hard-boiled eggs) as the protein ingredient, so it is easy to make this dish into a vegan option. Cabbage is a popular ingredient for gado gado salad, so we included a lovely red cabbage for a fantastic colourful dish. You can lightly blanch the vegetables, but for this recipe we have left them all raw, for a lovely crunchy fresh summer raw salad dish.

The total calorie count might look a little high for this dish, this is due mainly to the nuts and seeds included in the recipe. Remember, nuts and seeds are nutritional powerhouses, bringing lots of oils and nutrients needed by the body for optimal health. We tend to toast our nuts and seeds, for additional flavour, but if you want a completely raw dish then buy natural (unsalted and unroasted) instead.

Raw vegetable gado gado salad recipe

Serves: 8
Calories: 1,230 total, 154 per serving

Allergens: treenuts, soya, sesame

Ingredients

For the dressing

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp sesame oil 
Handful cashew nuts
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped or grated
2 tbsp tamari
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne or small red chili finely chopped
1/3 cup water (plus more for thinning)

Veggies

1 piece of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
1 thick slice red cabbage, cut into chunks
1 red pepper, cut into small slices
Large Handful bean sprouts (optional)
½ cup coriander, chopped
Handful toasted sesame seeds
To garnish: chopped fresh coriander, toasted sesame seeds

Method

Cook the garlic in 1 tbsp oil until it is soft.

Add the garlic to the dressing ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add more water as necessary to create a sauce that can be poured over veggies.

Place all the veggies in a bowl. Pour over the dressing and mix well. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Garnish with chopped coriander and toasted sesame seeds.

Serving suggestion

For a complete plant-based meal you can simply add some boiled potatoes and cooked tofu into the salad, then pour over the dressing. 

If you wish to serve it as part of a meal, then it would complement well our teriyaki tofu and rice balls 

Plant-based recipes on our blog

We hope you enjoy making and eating this recipe! There are lots of plant-based recipes on our health and wellbeing blog for you to try. We also publish a new recipe each month, which you can get delivered to your inbox, by signing up to our newsletter – simply add your name and email into the blue box. You might also like to explore our online shop, where you will find some e-cookbooks to buy and download.

Plant-based diet at La Crisalida Retreats Spain

All of the food served at La Crisalida Retreats is plant-based (vegan), freshly prepared in our kitchen every day. You can sample from five or six dishes every meal, trying inspiring vegan dishes. The menus are designed with maximum nutrition and health in mind, but at the same time, include a variety of colours, textures, ingredients and flavours. Try them for yourself, come on a holistic health and wellbeing retreat in Spain.