Gado-gado is an Indonesian version of a mixed salad. It usually consists of a variety of vegetables, eggs, tempeh, and tofu. The vegetables are usually just slightly boiled, tossed with a nut completed with the addition of crispy prawn crackers.

The word gado gado means 'eaten without rice' which implies it is a complete meal. It is no wonder as this dish is one of the most complete nutritionally providing a good balance of protein, fats and carbohydrate with plenty of fibre. It is a very filling salad, perfect for work lunches and better as a main meal.

Gado gado sauce is not to be confused with satay sauce, which is also a peanut sauce. The traditional method of making the sauce is to use the pestle and mortar. The dry ingredients are ground first, then water is added to achieve the desired consistency.

These include the Indonesia gado-gado with rice cakes and vegetables drenched in a peanut sauce to the Indian rojak whose peanut sauce is fiery orange in colour and used as a dip for its ingredients like fried dough, potatoes and steamed squid.