In November, we partnered with VCAI to take our Simply V Cooking Class on an exciting journey across Asia, celebrating two hearty, flavour-packed vegetarian dishes: the Indonesian classic, Gado Gado, and the vibrant Korean favourite, Japchae.
Gado Gado (Indonesian Mixed Salad)
Literally meaning “mix-mix”, Gado Gado is a delightful and satisfying Indonesian salad. Our participants learnt how to balance a vibrant mix of fresh and blanched vegetables, including crisp cucumber, blanched carrot, cabbage, beansprouts, and potato. The dish also featured fried tofu and tempeh cubes for protein and texture.
The star of the show, however, was the sauce. We guided everyone through making a rich, creamy, and slightly sweet peanut sauce from scratch. Ingredients like tamarind paste, palm sugar, and kaffir lime leaves were ground with roasted peanuts to create an authentic, flavour-bursting coating. The sauce could be served warm or cold and enjoyed with crackers.
Japchae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir-Fry)
Next, we turned our attention to Korea for a truly vibrant and satisfying dish: Japchae (Korean Glass Noodle Stir-Fry). This recipe is a celebration of simple ingredients and harmony.
Participants learnt the key to traditional Japchae: cooking each colourful element separately to preserve its vibrant colour and texture. We worked with springy sweet potato noodles (dangmyeon), pan-fried tofu, spinach, carrots, capsicums, and mushrooms. Everything was brought together and tossed in a signature savoury-sweet dressing made from soy sauce, sugar, and sesame seed oil. Garnishing with sesame seeds in the final step finished this beautifully balanced meal.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this journey! Cooking together continues to be a joyful way to share skills, global flavours, and community spirit. We look forward to seeing you at our next class for more delicious plant-based creations.
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