Rojak

Name: Rojak
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 4 Rose Apple (Jambu Air)s, sliced; 1 Pineapple, peeled, cored and cut bite-size; 400g Yam Bean, peeled and cut bite-size; 1 Cucumber, deseeded and sliced; 1 Green Mango, peeled and sliced; 2 Firm Guavas, cored and sliced; 6 Tofu Puffs (Tau Pok)s, halved; 1 Chinese Cruller (Youtiao), sliced; 4 tbsp Prawn Paste Molasses (Petis Udang / Hae Ko); 3 tbsp Gula Melaka (Dark Palm Sugar), finely chopped; 2 tbsp Tamarind Paste; 1 tbsp Lime Juice; 1 1/2 Red Chilies, finely chopped; 2 tbsp Water, hot; to loosen the sauce; Some Salt; 70g Roasted Peanuts, coarsely crushed; 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds; 1/2 Bunga Kantan (Torch Ginger Bud), very finely sliced

Rojak is a vibrant Malaysian fruit-and-vegetable salad tossed in a bold sweet, sour and savory prawn-palm sugar dressing, finished with crunchy fried dough and toasted peanuts. Bright tropical fruits, crisp jicama and cucumber mingle with warm tofu puffs and youtiao, while shredded torch ginger adds a fragrant lift. It’s a lively balance of textures and bold flavors—sweet, tangy, spicy and nutty in every bite.

Rojak is a vibrant Malaysian fruit-and-vegetable salad tossed in a bold sweet, sour and savory prawn-palm sugar dressing, finished... Show more

Traditional Malaysian Recipe

Health Grade

C+ · Balanced

Time

40 min

Price

3,73 €

Calories

609 kcal

easy

comfort food

potluck

malaysian

Method

Prep the salad

Wash and dry the Rose Apple (Jambu Air), Pineapple, Yam Bean, Cucumber, Green Mango, Firm Guava, Tofu Puffs, and Chinese Cruller (Youtiao). Peel the pineapple, yam bean, green mango, and guava; halve the cucumber lengthwise and scoop out the seeds if needed; then slice the rose apple, cucumber, green mango, and guava into bite-size pieces, cut the pineapple and yam bean into bite-size chunks, halve the tofu puffs, and cut the Chinese cruller into short, spoonable pieces. Pile everything on a large platter or in a mixing bowl.

Toast the garnish

Set a dry skillet over medium heat and add the Roasted Peanuts. Stir and shake the pan until they smell nutty and turn a little darker, about 5 minutes. Add the Toasted Sesame Seeds for the last 1 minute, stirring constantly so they do not scorch. Tip everything onto a plate, let it cool, then coarsely crush the peanuts.

Cook the sauce

Combine the Prawn Paste Molasses, Gula Melaka (Dark Palm Sugar), Tamarind Paste, Lime Juice, Red Chilies, hot Water, and a pinch of Salt in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring and mashing the gula melaka against the pan, until the sugar melts and the sauce turns smooth, glossy, and spoonable, about 5 minutes. If it seems too thick, stir in another teaspoon of hot water; if it tastes too sharp, let it simmer a little longer.

Assemble rojak

Just before serving, spoon the warm sauce over the fruit and vegetables and toss very gently so the softer pieces stay intact. Add the tofu puffs and Chinese cruller, then scatter over the crushed peanuts, sesame, and the Bunga Kantan (Torch Ginger Bud) sliced very finely. Serve right away while the salad is crisp and the sauce is fragrant.