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Loading...A beloved Indonesian street-food classic, this spicy-sweet fruit salad tosses crunchy tropical fruits in a glossy palm sugar and tamarind sauce that is punched up with fresh bird's eye chilies and toasted shrimp paste. Every bite balances heat, tang, and deep caramel sweetness, finished with a shower of crushed peanuts for nutty crunch.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 320 kcalCalories
- 7 gFat
- 1 gSaturated Fat
- 65 gCarbs
- 6 gFiber
- 50 gSugar
- 4 gProtein
- 280 mgSodium
- 380 mgPotassium
- 65 mgCalcium
- 1 mgIron
- 45 mgVitamin C
- 90 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the palm sugar chili sauce
- 150 g palm sugar (gula merah), finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste (asam jawa)
- 1 tsp shrimp paste (terasi), toasted and crumbled
- 4 to 6 fresh bird's eye chilies (cabe rawit), stemmed
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 3 tbsp warm water, plus more as needed
For the fruit salad
- 1 unripe green mango, peeled and julienned
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
- 1 cup jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1 small English cucumber, sliced into half-moons
- 1 cup ripe papaya, cubed
- 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
- 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely crushed
Directions
- Toast the shrimp paste in a small dry skillet over medium heat for about 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened, then crumble it into a small saucepan.
- Add the palm sugar, tamarind paste, warm water, and crumbled shrimp paste to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often until the palm sugar is fully melted, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the bird's eye chilies and salt, lightly muddle them with the back of a spoon, and simmer for another 2 minutes so the heat infuses the syrup (use fewer chilies and remove the seeds for a milder version).
- Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the lime juice, and let the sauce cool slightly. It should coat the back of a spoon; thin with a tablespoon of warm water if it is too thick to drizzle.
- While the sauce simmers, peel and slice all the fruits into bite-sized pieces. Pat the cucumber and pineapple dry with a clean kitchen towel so the dressing clings instead of sliding off.
- Pile the prepared fruits onto a wide serving platter or into a shallow bowl, arranging the colors so the green mango, white jicama, and orange papaya all show.
- Pour about two-thirds of the warm palm sugar chili sauce over the fruits and toss gently with a spoon or clean hands until everything is glossy and lightly coated.
- Top the salad with the crushed roasted peanuts and drizzle over the remaining sauce, or serve extra sauce on the side for dipping.
- Serve immediately at room temperature while the fruits are still crisp and the sauce is just warm.
Cook’s Notes
- For a vegan version, skip the shrimp paste and add a pinch of salt plus a half teaspoon of white miso for that same savory depth traditionally provided by terasi.
- Toasting the shrimp paste over an open flame wrapped in foil for about 30 seconds gives the sauce a smokier, more authentic Indonesian aroma.
- Adjust the chili count to taste; rujak is meant to be fiery but the palm sugar should still come through sweet on the finish.
- Always assemble and dress the salad right before serving so the fruits stay crunchy and do not release too much water into the sauce.
- Choose firm, underripe fruits like green mango and jicama so they hold their bite against the soft sweetness of ripe pineapple and papaya.
