Rojak (Singapore Salad)

Description:
Rojak (Singapore Salad)
Source : http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Market/7773/rojak.html

Tried, tested and confirmed good by my gourmet fren, Ah Heng!!!


Ingredients:
25 diced chillies - soaked and ground (less if you prefer mild)
21/2 cm square dried shrimp paste (belachan) - toasted and ground
4 tbsp tamarind paste
1/2 cup water
1 tsp dark soya sauce
6 tbsp brown sugar
1 medium size cucumber
2 small green mango (choose ripe mango if you prefer sweet)
1/2 medium pineapple (or can)
1 starfruit (optional)
1 jackfruit (optional)
200 gm bangkwang or turnip
100 gm sweet potato
2 tbsp black shrimp paste (heiko)
150 gm peanut candy or roasted peanuts, ground coarsely
1 tbsp sesame seeds - roasted


Directions:
Put ground ingredients and tamarind juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat
Stir in sugar and dark soya sauce and cook until sugar dissolves and sauce is thick
Let it cool
Mix cut vegetables with cooled sauce and black shrimp paste in large mixing bowl
Add ground peanut candy or roasted peanuts and roasted sesame seeds
Serve immediately

Makes about 4 to 6 serving

*To make this salad into a seafood salad dish, subsitute the jackfruit and starfruit with slices of boiled cuttlefish.

**For that extra added touch, you can sprinkle a few pieces of "emping belinjau" which is like a cracker. This item might be hard to get in your local Asian store but check it out anyway as you never know.