I rubbed my eyes again, was I dreaming?

I looked around me to survey my surroundings. I was not at school. I was not in Hong Kong. I was in the middle of a beautiful blue ocean. The waves around me rolled softly, one overlapping the other, causing a multitude of ripples across the ocean. Beautiful blue skies stretched above me with no end in sight. The distant beaches shone as the grey-white sand glistened under the blazing sun. Just fingertips away I could touch and feel the waters of the South China Sea. If I sat really still, I could even feel the gentle budge of the current flowing beneath my kayak.

I looked out to see my two friends on their paddleboards, struggling to balance on their boards. I smiled. I was so happy where I was. Content, to be accurate, at the beauty all around. Over the next hour, we paddled, we kayaked, and simply drifted across the ocean surface. We adventured around exploring the surrounding cliffs and the boundaries of the island. It was beautiful and breathtaking to say the least. My arms were sore and burning under the midday sun, but it was a mark to remember that I had been here – in Bintan.
We quickly changed into our summer dresses. From swimming suits, sunglasses and heaps of sunscreen lotion to summer dresses, scandals and earrings we definitely looked quite different. I daresay hiking up the hill in our sandals and dresses was not exactly quite what we had imagined, after all, we had dressed up for a fancy lunch. The towering trees was like a rainforest encasing the resort, offering some shade from the sun. I was regretting our choice to hike instead of riding the golf cart.

But the restaurant was well worth it. Hidden around the corner was the restaurant. The large glass windows allowed for an exquisite view of the ocean –  still and tempting. From this angle, the sea looked even more blue. We sat back on our seats to enjoy the beautiful view only to be distracted by our appetizers: a platter of 6 different sambas (chili paste) with fancy canisters of rice crackers and kerupuk (Indonesian Shrimp Crackers). Our “oohs” and “ahh” did not stop when our “luxurious spread” of Indonesian food arrived: Grilled fish with assam on banana leaves; braised short ribs with mango salsa; Indonesian gado gado salad; turmeric roasted chicken…I simply could not believe how much food was there.

We enjoyed tasting each of the flavors, pungent and spicy; smoky and fresh. The gado gado salad was definitely a revelation – fresh vegetables and eggs tossed in a dark beautiful peanut sauce. I knew immediately I had to recreate it at home. After returning to Hong Kong we decided that the best way to deal with our homesickness for Bintan was to make this. Platters of assorted fresh vegetables, simply served with our vegan peanut sauce (one of my favorites from the blog). What a beautiful sight it was as I reminisced the vacation I had that now seemed like lightyears ago.

Honestly anything with our peanut sauce tastes fabulous. Since we already had one on our blog, it was like a no-brainer for us when we created this recipe. Throw in your favorite veg (traditionally you should use spinach, bean sprouts, tofu, egg, potatoes) and this makes for a delicious and filling vegetarian meal!

Indonesian Gado Gado Salad

 

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Author: Unconventional Cooks

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Greens (Kale, Salad Leaves, Romaine, Spinach)
• 2 Carrot, using a peeler make strips
• 1-2 large Potato
• 2 cups Bean sprouts
• 4 oz Green Beans
• 6 Boiled Eggs (omit for vegans)
• 1 Tomatoes
• 1 small Cucumber
• Noodles
• 1 large bunch Mint, Coriander
• Other Toppings: Tofu, Tempeh, Broccoli
• Garnishes: Peanuts, Rice Crackers, Fried Shallots
• Vegan Peanut Sauce (made with real peanuts)*

Instructions

1. Peel and chop up potato into chunks. Place in boiling water and let the potatoes cook till soft.
2. In another pot, place eggs into a pot of cold water. Bring it to a rolling boil, then switch off heat and cover for 10 minutes before draining. Run under cold water and then allow it to cool. Peel and chop into wedges.
3. Work in batches, bring a pot of water to boil. Blanch bean sprouts, green beans for 1 minute.
4. Using a peeler make long strips of carrots. Arrange on a plate with fresh herbs and serve with the peanut sauce.

Notes

*Soy Free Option: When making our peanut sauce, you can substitute the soy sauce with fish sauce! We've tried both and they taste delicious!

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LOVE,

Zoe & Mia