Inspired by the Indonesian salad gado gado, this vegetarian dish turns warm steamed veggies into a full meal with the help of golden, crisped tempeh, a torn boiled egg, crunchy cucumbers, and a creamy, nutty, ginger-spiked sauce that deploys whatever nut or seed butter you have on hand. Peanut butter is a classic choice, but almond, cashew, sunflower seed butter, or even tahini would work well in this application, adding a little richness and toasty flavor to an otherwise bright, light, and wholesome bowl.
Peeling and slicing a butternut squash can be a whole project unto itself; skip the labor and opt for the store-bought pre-peeled and cubed variety instead, which you can find with the prepared refrigerated produce. If the chunks are quite large, you may need to trim them down a bit (to about 1″ in size) to work in this recipe; the squash steams quickly alongside snappy broccolini to become perfectly tender, not mushy or waterlogged.
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Ingredients
4 servings
2
Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more
2
8-oz. packages tempeh
4
cups 1″ cubes peeled butternut squash
1
1″ piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
1
garlic clove, finely grated
¼
cup nut butter (such as peanut or almond)
1
Tbsp. soy sauce
2
Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar, plus more
1
large bunch broccolini, halved lengthwise if thick
4
large eggs
2
Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
1½
tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt
Mint sprigs (for serving)
Preparation
-
Step 1
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Cook two 8-oz. packages tempeh until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Let cool slightly; tear into large pieces and set aside.
Step 2
Wipe out pot and pour in water to come 1″ up sides. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover pot and place a large steamer, colander, or mesh sieve inside (bottom should not touch water). Place 4 cups 1″ cubes peeled butternut squash in steamer, cover, and steam until almost tender, 15–20 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, whisk one 1″ piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, 1 garlic clove, finely grated, ¼ cup nut butter (such as peanut or almond), 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, and 2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar in a small bowl. Gradually pour in warm water, whisking, until sauce is loose enough to drizzle (amount of water will depend on the consistency of your nut butter).
Step 4
Uncover pot and place 1 large bunch broccolini, halved lengthwise if thick, on top of squash. Re-cover; steam until broccolini is bright green and crisp-tender and squash is tender but not mushy, about 5 minutes.
Step 5
While the broccolini is steaming, cook 4 large eggs in a large saucepan of boiling water, 8 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Peel, then tear into large pieces and set aside.
Step 6
Combine squash, broccolini, 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced, and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and a little unseasoned rice vinegar; toss to coat.
Step 7
Divide vegetable mixture among shallow bowls; arrange reserved tempeh and eggs around. Drizzle sauce over and top with mint sprigs.
