Gado-Gado for the Crowd

I seriously don't know what to make for the party thats coming over for Hari Raya visit. My Dad's side rented a bus for all of us to go around one another's house for Hari Raya. A pretty easy and economical way to finish up the 'jalan raya'. Besides, I enjoy the noise, chatterings, gossipings, catching-ups and all other ooohs and aaahs... Seldom that we get together like this EXCEPT on Hari Raya. An oppurtunity that I never intent to miss out EVER! Next year, our Little Baby will be joining along. Yippeee! Additional to the rhythm of cries...!

I had came up with a list of recipes throughout the Ramadhan for this day. But deleted all of them and decided on making Gado-Gado and Lontong Goreng at the last minute. Its refreshing, easy to whip-up, light and yet filling too. With the bump and all, my strength is limited and so is my movements. Everything I do, is ALL so uber slooooower... nowadays. I like to laze more than doing any chores at all. I had the groceries shopping done way earlier with the help from Mommy. Prepared some of the stuffs needed the night before and finished up everything the next morning before we headed to the first house. Weee!

The get-together was splendid. Breakfast was fine. We made a move from the first house a little after 11am. Apart from the going-to-each-others-house-for-visitings, I was loking forward to the food spread each house had prepared. What's Hari Raya without FOOD huh!!! Still... I had to watch what I eat as I didn't want to bLuek. "B" still had his cough. So... BOTH of us watched each other as not to indulge ourselves with the spread.

Lontong Goreng with a spread of shredded chicken

My house was the second last and it was drizzling when we reached. Raining = Growling tummies. Good equation. I was worried that my Gado-Gado and Lontong Goreng wouldn't be eaten as they sure had had a lot! Boy, was I glad that everyone had a little share of each of the my spread. Unfortunately, "B" and I didn't get to taste any. All finished! But there's some leftover Gado-Gado sauce and raw ingredients in the fridge. I'll whip up a plate for you tonight "B" darl...

Ingredients for Gado-Gado
long beans - sliced 2cm long and blanched
cabbage - chopped roughly and blanched
carrot - julienne
potatoes - boiled and cubed
tempe - cubed and fried
eggs - boiled and halves
lontong - cubed
keropok
shredded chicken breast (opt)
boiled hotdogs (opt)Ingredients for Gado-Gado Sauce
200g crushed peanuts
3 cups water
2-3 dried assam keping
3 pieces ceko
sugar to balance
salt to taste
oil to fry
Ingredients to Blend
15 dried chillies - deseed and soaked
1 large onion

3 garlic
Method
Fry blended ingredients with ceko till split oil. Add in water and bring to boil. Add in sugar and salt to taste. Add in assam keping. Lastly, add in crushed peanuts and stir well. Bring to a boil under low fire. Serve with a pile load of your favourite ingredients!

* A personal note: I like to let my Gado-Gado sauce stay overnight or the least a couple of hours later till the sauce had cooled and thicken a little. It'll coat to the ingredients better and gives a fuller ooomph. Try it...!