Rojak - Savoury Spicy Malaysian Salad

As someone who's has lived in Malaysia, Rojak holds a special place in my heart. It's a dish that perfectly showcases the region's love for bold flavours and fresh ingredients. Rojak, a popular street food in Malaysia and Singapore, is a unique salad this recipe is more towards the Chinese version.

So, what exactly is Rojak?

It's a blend of various fruits and vegetables mixed with a sweet and spicy sauce and garnished with roasted peanuts. Some variations even include blanched cuttlefish or dried squid.

What sets Rojak apart is the sauce. It's a delicious blend of tamarind, palm sugar, shrimp paste, and chili paste that gives the salad a unique combination of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors.

Rojak has become a go-to street food in Southeast Asia, with vendors selling it from food carts and roadside stalls. It's enjoyed by people of all ages and is often eaten as a snack or light meal.

Apart from being delicious, Rojak is also known for its health benefits. The salad is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, and the fresh fruits and vegetables provide a good source of fiber.

Substitutions

If you're having trouble finding some of the more exotic ingredients for rojak, don't worry. Here are some substitutions that you can try:

Jicama, try using daikon or turnips instead.

Shrimp paste, you can use fish sauce and a little miso or fermented bean paste.

If you can't find coconut sugar, try using brown sugar or honey.

INGREDIENTS

For the Rojak:

1 guava (150g) (5 oz)

1 pineapple (500g) (18 oz)

1 cucumber (250g) (9 oz)

1 jicama (300g) (10 oz)

1 small bunch of bean sprouts (100g) (3 oz)

1/2 cup of roasted peanuts (70g) (2 oz)

2 You tiao (fried dough) (100g) (3 oz)

5 pieces of fried tofu (100g) (3 oz)

For the Rojak Sauce:

1/2 cup of tamarind paste (120g) (4 oz)

1/2 cup of coconut sugar (100g) (3 oz)

1/4 cup of water (60ml) (2 oz)

1/4 cup of dark soy sauce (60ml) (2 oz)

1/4 cup of chili sauce (60ml) (2 oz)

1 tablespoon of shrimp paste (20g) (1 oz)

Method

In a small saucepan, combine the tamarind paste, sugar, water, shrimp paste, chili sauce, and soy sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened.

Blanch the bean sprouts in boiling water for about 1-2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Peel and cut the guava, pineapple, cucumber, and jicama into bite-sized pieces. Cut the tofu and you tiao the same size.

Combine all the fruits and vegetables in a large bowl and mix well. Drizzle the rojak sauce over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Garnish with the toasted peanuts and squid.