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How to cook Rojak

Singapore-style rojak is a sweet, tangy, spicy fruit-and-fritter salad tossed in a thick, dark prawn paste dressing and finished with crushed peanuts. It balances crunchy cucumber, pineapple and turnip with crisp-fried dough fritters.

Ingredients

For the rojak sauce

• 100 g black prawn paste (hae ko), the thick sweet type sold in jars or tubs
• 3 tbsp tamarind paste (asam), dissolved in 4 tbsp warm water, seeds and fibre strained out
• 2 tbsp palm sugar (gula melaka), finely chopped or grated
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tbsp lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1 tbsp sambal chilli or fresh chilli paste, adjust to taste
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp water, to loosen if needed

For the fruit and vegetables

• 200 g cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds scooped out, cut into 2 cm chunks
• 200 g pineapple, cut into 2 cm chunks
• 200 g turnip (sengkuang/jicama), peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks
• 150 g bean sprouts, tails trimmed
• 1 unripe green mango (optional), peeled and cut into thin strips
• 1 torch ginger bud (bunga kantan), very finely sliced (optional)

For the fritters

• 2 pieces (about 120 g) you tiao (fried dough fritters), ready-made from the wet market or bakery
• 150 g firm tofu puffs (tau pok), halved
• 500 ml cooking oil, for frying

For the garnish

• 60 g roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely crushed
• 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

Steps

1. Prepare the fruit and vegetables15 min
   Cut the cucumber, pineapple and turnip into evenly sized 2 cm chunks so they coat well and are easy to eat. Place them in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Blanch the bean sprouts3 min
   Bring 1 litre of water to a rolling boil in a pot over high heat. Add the bean sprouts and blanch for 20 seconds until just wilted but still crunchy. Drain immediately, plunge into iced water for 30 seconds, then drain well and pat dry.
3. Mix the sauce base4 min
   In a bowl, combine the prawn paste, strained tamarind liquid, palm sugar, caster sugar and sambal. Stir with a spoon for 2 minutes, pressing the sugar against the side of the bowl, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is glossy and thick.
4. Balance the sauce3 min
   Stir in the lime juice and sesame oil. Taste and adjust: add more sugar if too sharp, more lime if too sweet, more sambal if you want heat. The sauce should be the consistency of thick pouring caramel; add 1 to 2 tbsp water if it is too stiff to coat the fruit.
5. Heat the oil for frying5 min
   Pour the oil into a wok or deep saucepan and heat over medium-high heat to about 180°C. To test without a thermometer, drop in a small piece of bread: it should sizzle and turn golden in about 30 seconds.
6. Fry the tofu puffs3 min
   Carefully lower the tofu puff halves into the hot oil and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp on the outside. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
7. Crisp the you tiao2 min
   Fry the you tiao in the same oil for 30 to 45 seconds, turning once, until deeply golden and crunchy. Drain on kitchen paper and let cool for 2 minutes.
8. Cut the fritters2 min
   Cut the fried tofu puffs and the you tiao into bite-sized pieces about 2 cm wide. Keep them separate from the wet ingredients until the final toss so they stay crisp.
9. Toss the salad2 min
   Add the blanched bean sprouts, mango strips and torch ginger (if using) to the bowl of fruit and vegetables. Pour in the sauce and toss with a large spoon for about 1 minute until every piece is well coated in the dark sauce.
10. Add the fritters1 min
    Fold in the cut you tiao and tofu puffs gently, tossing just 3 to 4 times so they pick up sauce but remain crisp.
11. Serve
    Transfer to a serving plate, then scatter generously with the crushed peanuts and sesame seeds. Serve straight away while the fritters are still crunchy.

Tips

• Look for black prawn paste labelled for rojak; shrimp paste for cooking (belacan) is a different, much stronger product and will not work here.
• Chill the cucumber, pineapple and turnip before tossing for a more refreshing bite.
• Toss the fritters in last and serve within 10 minutes, or they will turn soggy.
• Make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge; stir in a spoonful of water to loosen before using.
• Crush the peanuts with the base of a cup or a mortar so you get a mix of fine powder and chunky bits.

Food safety and allergens

Wash all raw fruit and vegetables well and keep the cut produce chilled until serving. The sauce and cut salad keep up to 1 day covered in the fridge, though the fritters should be eaten fresh.

Contains: peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, wheat

Watch it being made

• RESEPI KUAH ROJAK TERINGAT|Resepi HasmiraResepi Hasmira · 357,747 views · YouTube
• Kuah Rojak Pekat & Padu – Buat Berniaga Pun Laku KerasChe Nom · 315,047 views · YouTube
• Chinese Rojak - 水果囉喏The Meatmen Channel · 211,523 views · YouTube

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