Thursday, March 16, 2023

'Gado Gado': Spicy Indonesian Salad And Song

Gado-Gado The Dish

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Originally from Indonesia or Betawi, it is a spicy Indonesian salad of raw and also slightly boiled, steamed vegetables and hard-boiled eggs. The boiled potatoes, fried tofu and tempeh, with rice wrapped in a banana leaf, called lontong, are served with a peanut sauce dressing. The sauce can either be poured over the entire dish or dipped according to the diners' wish.

Gado Gado The Song:

It is traditional or folk song that centers around the home and family, is common in Asia. Indonesia is no exception. Gado-gado is a very popular dish from the kitchen tables of the thousands of islands in the Indonesian Archipelago. It is the first song with a food theme that I learnt as a child of the 40s in Singapore.

The other popular one with a similar theme is Rujak Uleg (Indonesian Salad) with lyrics in Javanese. The ingredients for both include fresh and boiled vegetables like long beans, bean sprouts, sliced potatoes, tame-pay (fermented beans), fried tofu and prawn crackers. The gravy is pound fried groundnuts with chilli sauce.

Keroncong Instruments with Indonesian musicians.

https://www.nowjakarta.co.id/kampung-tugu-the-identity-of-keroncong/

Gado Gado The Lyrics [with English interpretation]

Gado-gadonya, Bung, dari Jakarta
(Gado gado brother, is from Jakarta)

Sangat digemari rakyat jelata…
(Loved by citizens in the country)

Satu bungkusnya, Bung, sa-tengah rupiah, Bang Achmad pulang, Bung sudah sedia…
(A packet costs half a rupiah, when husband Achmad comes home his gado2 is ready)
Gado-Gado Jakarta - Orkes Keroncong Rumput
Screen Shot from YouTube Video by: RUMPUT

Jika Mpoh minah, Bung malas ke dapur
(If wife Poh Minah is too lazy to go to the kitchen)

Semua ada: tahu goreng, kerupuk udang,
campur-campur… tahu goreng, kerupuk udang,
(Everything's in: fried tofu, fried prawn-crackers, a good mix,

Bila Mpok Minah, Bung malas belanja
(When wife Minah is too lazy to market)

Beli gado-gado dari Jakarta 
(She buys gado-gado, Jakarta styled).

Gado-Gado Jakarta - Orkes Keroncong Rumput
YouTube Video by: RUMPUT

Lyrics: http://lirik.kapanlagi.com/artis/mus_mulyadi/gado-gado_jakarta

Images: Google.
Interpretation: Andy.

[This article is an expanded re-post from 23rd July, 2011.]
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22 comments:

  1. Thimbuktu24.7.11

    Thanks Andy. "Gado Gado" is my favorite Indonesian ketupat with satay gravy! Didn't know the song of the heritage food (foodage) has been composed. Good food, good song...Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  2. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©24.7.11

    I don't know about the foodage song being composed but I do know that gado gado is my favourite salad too. Hot and spicy with lots of vegetables.

    And the song is just as delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©5.10.12

    A new video has been attached to this posting. You can listen follow the lyrics provided as you listen to the song.

    The Emnglish translation is in orange.

    ReplyDelete
  4. massu dcnee (youtube)4.1.15


    The song came about as a very typical 1950's song (or many other songs for that matter)written around or after WWII, they were very poetic love songs(as we know them well) as well as it could be a song about fruits(Papaya Mangga Pisang Djambu from Pasarminggu,) marketplace, train, beautiful cities, lakes (Telaga Sarangan, Ditepi Sungai Serayu), Beautiful river (Bengawan Solo), also about the sleek personification about city in a romantic way(LENGGANG SURABAYA)Es Lilin (about Ice Cream-Bandung)

    ReplyDelete
  5. FACEBOOK CHATS16.3.23

    Andy Young
    The dish is deliciously spicy and tasty. The song is exceptionally descriptive and haunting... It's KERONCHONG.

    Poh Huat Tng
    Healthy as well

    Andy Young
    Poh Huat Tng thanks, yes it is. A delicious vegetarian meal. Appreciate your immediate response too.

    Andy Young
    Thanks to Kwandy and Hui Si for the early bird LIKES.
    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  6. MICHAEL LEE [SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA]17.3.23

    Lovely and wonderfully sounding song.
    Love Keronchong music. I listened to Keronchong music from the day I was born because Keronchong was my late dad's favourite music.

    Just to add there is a lontong song.

    https://youtu.be/JJo5v9Twmo4

    ReplyDelete
  7. MICHAEL LEE [SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA]17.3.23


    Just to add loved the sound of the double bass looking bass guitar.

    My friend Joe Peters is helping to keep the Keronchong music, heritage and culture alive.

    Here is the link on Keronchong:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kroncong

    ReplyDelete
  8. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©17.3.23


    Michael Lee, thanks. Yes, the blog has your dad's story... and thanks for the Lontong song, lovely indeed.

    Joe Peters loves the keroncong and the blog too. Thanks for the link.

    And appreciate your expertise about the keroncong. Lovely indeed with its unique rhythm and folk lyrics. Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  9. SOPHIE ANG [FACEBOOK]17.3.23


    Wow, this article is great. Your wonderful posts and beautiful photos caught my attention.

    I tried to add you, but failed. I hope to get to know you better and become friends. Please you can send me a friend request and I will accept it, I want to be your friend if you don’t mind. I think it is a very good thing to say hello to you.

    Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  10. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©17.3.23


    Sophia Ang, hello and thank you.

    I am glad you like the posts and photographs. Do check the BLOG for more stories on our local SINGAPORE music and its influence. I don't reply to 'friend requests' nor engage in personal mails but you can always chat on the postings that I write on. Anyone's welcome.

    Cheers.
    And thanks again!

    ReplyDelete
  11. FACEBOOK CHATS17.3.23

    3m


    Freda Hanum
    First time heard this Gado Gado song... Nice keronchong music video of the group... Nice share Andy

    Andy Young
    Freda Hanum thanks. Yes, actually we have our own music culture that is so varied, that us Asians would have to take a long time to check them out. Let's start now... Cheers.

    Andy Young
    I must thank FB friends who took some trouble to LIKE this post.

    ReplyDelete
  12. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©17.3.23

    Colin Colin
    Winston Koh
    Ericbronson Wong
    Hiroshi Deguchi
    Yen Chow
    Kwandy Yao
    Victor Lee
    Chen Hui Si
    Stephen Han
    Rose Khoo
    Freda Hanum
    Philip Chew
    Sophia Ang
    Ann Rowena Lim
    Moody Cash
    Mark Tan
    Lim Nance
    Jimmy Appudurai-chua
    Michael Lee
    Belinda Poh
    Jalani Mohamed
    Frankie Koh
    Ukhti Aminah
    Patrick Teng

    THANKS TO ALL ON THE ABOVE LIST FOR LIKING THIS POST.

    ReplyDelete
  13. JIMMY CHNG [DRUMMER - THE DECIBELS]17.3.23

    Hi Andy,
    Do you know where in SG can we get delicious gado gado?

    BTW, I've never heard of the gado gado song before. Thanks for posting it on your blog. Watching the video made me suddenly crave for gado gado.

    BTW wasn't there a malay version of the song, GOODY GOODY with the refrain GADO GADO insteady of GOODY GOODY?

    ReplyDelete
  14. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©17.3.23

    Will write to you personally for the SG gado gado connection.

    I've herd of the Western original one but not the other.
    Can you send a link?
    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  15. FACEBOOK CHATS17.3.23

    Winston Koh
    Nice gado gado song beautiful my wife's favourite we used to have it at home. Thanks for sharing love Indonesians songs.
    Cheers!!!

    Andy Young
    Winston Koh thanks. Next time let's have some.
    I know a good place.
    Cheers.

    Salim Mohamed
    Looks delicious
    😋...
    my favorite🤗

    Andy Young
    Salim Mohamed, thanks sir. Perhaps you can recommend some gado gado yang tulen. 🙂

    ReplyDelete
  16. FACEBOOK CHATS18.3.23

    Andrew YC Loh
    Lovely dish, lovely song.

    Andy Young
    Andrew YC Loh hello, thank you.
    Glad you like the dish, song and this posting.
    Do visit it again.
    🙂

    Stephen Han
    Lovely to eat but don’t gado gado after it

    Andy Young
    Ha, ha, ha! No I won't Stephen.
    Fighting after eating makes one unhealthy.
    Thanks for advice.

    ReplyDelete
  17. DAISY KOH18.3.24

    Koh Daisy
    Haha don’t know about the song but love the dish…so Asian…so good for sharing as long as you don’t fight over it.

    ReplyDelete
  18. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©18.3.24

    Andy Young
    Koh Daisy yes, it's always one that's eaten on the dining table, a healthy salad that's local and delicious. The song? It's just as appetising. Try to listen to it. Thanks for the visit. 🙂

    ReplyDelete
  19. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©18.3.24

    Koh Daisy
    ok I will when home

    Andy Young
    Koh Daisy I missed the joke. Yes, GADO GADO in Bahasa Indonesia also means 'to quarrel'.
    So we shouldn't fight over this delicious meal.
    Thanks Daisy.
    Good one!
    🙂

    ReplyDelete
  20. CHIT CHAT18.3.24

    Andy Young
    I love many of the Indonesian songs I know. And they are just as beautiful as the Western ones if not better; if you understand and learn their lyrics and tempo. I think we're all closer now to Asia than many years ago... Cheers. [this statement is a repeat of the other post on Indian music.]

    Hiroshi Deguchi
    I miss Gado Gado.

    Matt Jsl Tan
    the one thing i miss most from the days of boyhood.. eating those great Indonesia dishes at the market.. gado-gado, laksa, nasi lemak,.. and oh ya. durian.

    ReplyDelete
  21. CHIT CHAT18.3.24

    Freda Hanum
    It would be such a lovely rendezvous eating gado gado accompanied by this soothing song GADO GADO...For quite sometime had not eaten this salad dish Gado Gado..

    Daisy Koh
    YUM YUM

    ReplyDelete
  22. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©18.3.24

    Andy Young
    Thanks to all friends who LIKE this post. I thought a repeat memory FB won' attract any views.

    Freda Hanum
    Patrick Teng
    Stephen Han
    Hiroshi Deguchi
    Koh Daisy
    Somkid Lakhawat
    James Kwok
    Frankie Koh
    Bethany Hou
    James Bragg
    Ser Kiong Tan
    ธัญญ่า ศิลปะการ

    And BETHANY HOU and the ธัญญ่า ศิลปะการ [I can't read this], thanks also. All names will be published on the blog under the Comment Page.

    ReplyDelete