Here’s the recipe for Chinese Fruit Rojak and its sauce:
RECIPE FOR FRUIT ROJAK
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving.
- Assemble the salad by arranging the pineapple, mango, jicama, cucumber, bean sprouts, and fried tofu puffs (if using) on a large serving platter.
- 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.
- 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.