Malaysian Rojak (Tropical Fruit Salad)

300g fresh pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 crisp apple, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces

½ cucumber, deseeded and cut into chunky pieces

100g bean sprouts, washed

2 Chinese fried dough sticks (youtiao), cut into bite-sized pieces

50g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

The Dressing

30g tamarind pulp (or tamarind paste)

100ml warm water

1 teaspoon toasted shrimp paste (belacan)

2 tablespoons kecap manis

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

2–3 tablespoons soft light brown sugar (or palm sugar)

Juice of 2–3 limes

PREPARATION

1. Peel and core the pineapple before cutting it into chunky bite-sized pieces. Core and chop the apple, then deseed and cut the cucumber into similar-sized chunks. Wash the bean sprouts and cut the youtiao into bite-sized pieces. To make the dressing, soak the tamarind pulp in the warm water, working it with your fingers before straining to make tamarind water. Finely crush the toasted shrimp paste using a pestle and mortar, then mix in the kecap manis, dark soy sauce, sugar, lime juice and 2–3 tablespoons of the tamarind water. Taste and adjust until the dressing has a balanced sweet, sour and savoury flavour.

2. Place the pineapple, apple, cucumber, bean sprouts and youtiao into a large mixing bowl.

3. Pour the dressing generously over the salad.

4. Add most of the chopped roasted peanuts.

5. Toss everything thoroughly until evenly coated.

6. Taste and add a little more lime juice or tamarind water if you prefer a sharper dressing.

7. Transfer the salad to a serving platter.

8. Scatter over the remaining chopped peanuts.

9. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

10. Allow the salad to stand for 5 minutes so the flavours begin to mingle.

11. Serve with cocktail sticks or small skewers, if desired.

12. Enjoy immediately while the youtiao is still crisp.

COOKING

School of Wok Tips

 Toast the shrimp paste before using it to deepen its flavour and ensure it's fully cooked.

 Keep the fruit and vegetables cut into similar chunky pieces so every mouthful contains a good mix of textures.

 The dressing should be bold and punchy—taste and adjust the sweet, sour and savoury elements until they're balanced.

 Add the youtiao just before serving so it retains as much crunch as possible.

FAQs

What does "Rojak" mean?

Rojak means "mixture" in Malay, referring to the colourful combination of fruits, vegetables and crunchy ingredients tossed together in a bold dressing.

Can I add other fruits?

Yes. Mango, guava, jicama, green papaya and other firm tropical fruits are commonly used in different regional versions of Rojak.

Can I make it vegetarian?

Yes. Omit the shrimp paste or replace it with a vegetarian fermented bean paste or miso for a similar savoury depth, although the flavour will be different from the traditional version.