Where to go for this eclectic, and dare we say, healthy Asian salad
Rojak, the dish that best represents Singapore's mishmash of cultures. In a single plate, you get crispy fried fritters and a medley of fresh fruits and vegetables like pineapple, turnips, cucumbers and beansprouts. The star is the thick, black sauce – an addictive mix of tamarind, sugar, chilli paste, shrimp paste and crushed peanuts.
This is just one version of the rojak. Said to be a Javanese dish, there are multiple variations of rojak across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore too. On the little red dot alone, there's the ubiquitous rojak buah (fruits), rojak bandung (cuttlefish) and rojak mamak (typically prepared by Indian Muslims). And fun fact: the sweet-sour salad used to be served in a folded leaf with toothpicks as forks.
Of course, such an iconic Singaporean dish would inspire modern takes and spin-offs. We round up where to get the best traditional Chinese rojak, and suss out some interesting variations too.
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This famous rojak store at Whampoa Makan Place started as a pushcart opposite Hoover Theatre at Balestier Road. The founder, Mr Lim Ngak Chew, has since passed on, but his legacy lives on till today in the snaking queues you're likely to find at the hawker store. Balestier Road Hoover Rojak uses unique ingredients like jellyfish, century egg and ginger flower. But what really takes it to the next level is the sweet-savoury sauce that carries a deep shrimp paste fragrance.
Expect a good 15 minutes wait on most days for Soon Heng Rojak – that's how you know it's good. A small plate starts at $3.50, featuring the usual fare of fresh fruits, vegetables, cuttlefish and crispy youtiao. As usual, it's the sauce that makes or breaks a rojak dish, and the one from Soon Heng Rojak is a winner. It helps that it comes topped with a massive heap of crushed peanuts too, for maximum texture.
We stand by our description of the rojak from Toa Payoh Rojak as "a black mass of thick, delicious goop". Founders Mr Cheng Kong Sang and Madam Lim Nei Ee poured in their own research to get the sauce for their rojak just right, even concocting their own chilli paste recipe. The sauce covers every inch of the mix of pineapple, fresh turnip, jellyfish, youtiao, dried beancurd skin, beansprouts and kangkong – but never overwhelms. It's a hefty dish, so might as well make a meal out of it.
Up for a really hearty rojak? Power Rojak Bandung serves up an interesting variation of the usual traditional fare. Alongside usual ingredients like pineapple, cucumbers and turnip, you will find cuttlefish, kangkong and yes – beehoon. It's faintly reminiscent of satay beehoon, except that the sauce is sweeter and spicier. Great for a day when you feel particularly hungry or adventurous.
Arbora, located atop Mount Faber, offers scenic views of the city to pair with its food. Taking cues from its lush forest surroundings, the Arbora Rojak ($16) comes reimagined to reflect the same botanical theme. You will find green mango, green papaya, bean sprouts, and shredded cucumber as base, crowned with fried tofu puffs and panko-crusted prawns. A lighter, fruit-forward spin on the hawker classic.
This beautifully plated salad doesn’t come with the usual assertive flavours from the fermented shrimp paste. Botanico’s rojak ($15) reimagines the black sauce as foam instead, adding lightness to the dish. Additions of fresh fruits, including guava, rose apple, green papaya, make for a refreshing crunch, together with addictive sago crackers that come made using dehydrated prawn shells and sago.
Turns out that the complexity of flavour you can find in traditional rojak is particularly suited for making great-tasting alcohol. If you've ever caught yourself slurping rojak sauce, you can now drink rojak gin instead. By local distillery Compendium Spirits, the rojak gin teases the nose with the scent of torch ginger, and pleases the mouth with the fruity, piquant notes of juniper and lemon peel.
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