'Gado Gado': Spicy Indonesian Salad And Song

Traditional or folk songs that center around the home and family are common in Asia. Indonesia is no exception. Gado-gado, a spicy salad, is a 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 with lyrics in Javanese.

Gado Gado (lyrics)

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

dari Jakarta

Sangat digemari (Loved by everyone in the country)

rakyat jelata…

Satu bungkusnya, Bung (A packet costs five rupiah)

lima rupiah

Bang Achmad pulang, Bung (Husband Achmad is home, gado2 is ready)

sudah sedia…

eMpok Saminah, Bung (Wife Saminah is too lazy to go to the kitchen)

malas ke dapur

Semua ada: (Everything's in: fried tofu, fried prawn-crackers)

tahu goreng, kerupuk udang,

campur-campur… (a good mix of ingredients)

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

malas belanja

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

dari Jakarta

Lyrics: Uchin Nor Hasyim. Performed by Mus Mulyadi and Tuti Tri Sedya.

There is a documentary called FOODAGE soon to be shown on the Octo Channel (108). Check it out on opening night at 10pm, 4th August. Some of our well-known bloggers will be featured.

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

2. Gado gado from: http://www.ivandc.com/gado-gado-from-indonesia/

Image: Google Images.

(Dedicated to soh kiat, her staff and all bloggers involved in the documentary FOODAGE)