Gado-Gado - with peanut sauce

Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen  1977

This is normally an Indonesian dish, with ingredients listed below. I had Asian eggplants and okra I needed to use, so I made this delicious sauce and used it to top the stir fry made with the veggies and onion.  Then I used the leftover sauce the next few days as a dip and to flavor lentils and other dishes.  Very versatile, and improves day by day.  The first night I thought the taste of vinegar was too strong, but by the next day and especially two days later, it was perfect.

FOR THE SAUCE:

1 cup chopped onion
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 cup good, natural peanut butter

2 Tbsp honey

1/4 tsp cayenne, more to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

1-2 tsp freshly grated ginger root

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

3 cups water

3/4 tsp salt

Dash of tamari

2 Tbsp canola oil

UNDERNEATH THE SAUCE:

An artful arrangement of combined cooked and raw vegetables on a bed of fresh spinach.  Here are some recommended veggies and garnishes from Moosewood Cookbook:

Shredded cabbage, carrot slices, celery slices, steamed or raw

Broccoli spears or fresh whole green beans, steamed

Fresh, raw mung bean sprouts, tofu chunks either raw or sautéed in oil with sesame seeds, or pieces of egg

GARNISH WITH:

A drizzle of sesame oil, apples, lemons, oranges, raisins, and/or toasted seeds and nuts