Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 1 small pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 unripe mango, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium-sized jicama (yam bean), peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts, blanched
• 1/2 cup fried tofu puffs, cut into bite-sized pieces (optional)
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup thick tamarind paste
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup gula melaka (palm sugar), or substitute with brown sugar
• 1/4 cup shrimp paste (heh ko, petis udang, or haeko)
• 1-2 tablespoons chili paste or sambal oelek (adjust to desired spiciness)
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare the sauce by soaking the tamarind paste in water for about 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind to extract the juice and strain the liquid, discarding the solids.
2. In a saucepan, combine the tamarind juice, gula melaka, shrimp paste, chili paste, and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens to a sticky consistency.
3. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving.
4. Assemble the salad by arranging the pineapple, mango, jicama, cucumber, bean sprouts, and fried tofu puffs (if using) on a large serving platter.
5. Drizzle the cooled sauce over the salad or serve it on the side as a dipping sauce. You can also toss the salad with the sauce to evenly coat the ingredients.
6. Garnish the salad with chopped roasted peanuts and toasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy your Penang Fruit Rojak with its flavorful sauce! This salad is a delightful combination of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors and makes a refreshing appetizer or snack.