Vegetable salad with peanut sauce (gado-gado)

Ingredients

Serves 4 Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes 250g firm beancurd vegetable oil, for deep-frying 300g baby new potatoes, halved 10 (80g) snake beans, sliced 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, extra ½ small (600g) cabbage 1 cup (80g) bean sprouts 1 small (130g) green cucumber, chopped 4 hard-boiled eggs Peanut sauce 150g (1 cup) peanuts, roasted 8 green shallots, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon belacan 1 small fresh red chilli, chopped 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon palm sugar 375ml (1½ cups) coconut milk 125ml (½ cup) water

Method

Cut beancurd into 2.5cm cubes, pat dry with absorbent paper. Deep-fry beancurd in batches in hot oil until browned; drain on absorbent paper. Boil, steam or microwave potatoes and beans separately until just tender drain, rinse under cold water, drain. Heat sesame oil and extra vegetable oil in wok or pan, add cabbage, cook, stirring, until just tender; cool. Arrange cabbage, bean sprouts, beancurd, potatoes, beans, cucumber and eggs on large plate; drizzle with peanut sauce. Peanut sauce: Blend or process peanuts, shallots, garlic, belacan (omit if vegetarian) and chilli until smooth. Heat oil in pan, add peanut mixture, cook, stirring, 3 minutes, add sugar, coconut milk and water, simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes.