Healthy Gado Gado Salad

By Leite's Culinaria

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice (medium- or short-grain)
8 cups cold water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 to 8 large eggs (depending on however many you want)
4 carrots (peeled and cut into thin matchsticks or shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler)
2 mangoes (peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced)
1/4 head purple cabbage (thinly sliced)
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 cup dry roasted, lightly salted peanuts (chopped)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh gingerroot
2 garlic cloves
5 tablespoons warm water

Prep Time20mins
Cook Time30mins
Servings6

Instructions

Make the salad

I like to boil my rice like pasta, as it always comes out perfectly and never sticks to the pan. Simply combine the rice and water in a saucepan. Bring the pot to a boil and let the rice cook away until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, return the rice to the pot, stir in butter and salt, and cover until you are ready to assemble the salad. Fluff the rice with a fork before dishing it out.

While the rice cooks, cook the eggs. Put the eggs in the bottom of a medium pot and cover with water by 1 inch. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. As soon as the water starts to boil, turn off the heat and set a timer for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, drain the eggs, run them under cold water, and peel. Slice the peeled eggs and set them aside.

Make the peanut sauce

Whiz the sesame seeds, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, and water together in a blender. Taste and, if desired, adjust the ingredients accordingly. (If you used natural or sugar-free peanut butter, you may feel compelled to add a touch more honey.)

Assemble the gado gado salad

You can assemble individual gado gado salad bowls or make a single, large, family-style bowl of salad that you plonk in the center of the table. Either way, make a pile of rice, top it with carrots, mango, cabbage, cilantro, peanuts, and sliced eggs, and then drizzle it with some peanut sauce.