Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Looking for a unique and flavorful vegetarian or vegan rojak sauce recipe? This Spicy Vegan Rojak Salad is surprisingly easy to prepare. It combines fresh fruits, crunchy vegetables, and a bold, tangy-sweet sauce made with tamarind and peanuts.
Inspired by the traditional Southeast Asian dish, this vegan version of Rojak keeps the signature contrast of flavors and textures while being completely plant-based. Whether you’re craving a refreshing salad or a delicious snack, this dish is a must-try!
Vegan Adaptation and Ingredient Choices
While traditional versions include Belacan, a shrimp paste, I’ve created a vegan variant that tastes lighter and equally delightful. Seedless guava adds a refreshing touch, complemented by local turnips that enhance the salad’s freshness.
Changes to the Original Recipe
In my adaptation, I’ve swapped tau pok for baked firm tofu, achieving a lighter texture without sacrificing crunchiness. I’ve omitted Char Kuay to avoid heaviness, opting for fresh chili and Shichimi tōgarashi for a balanced spice profile.
Ingredients
Fruits and Vegetables
- 200 g Japanese cucumber (or any cucumber)
- 200 g red apple
- 200 g fresh pineapple
- 200 g guava
- 200 g firm tofu
- 200 g turnip (or substitute with radish)
To Marinate the Tofu
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
For the Crunchy Topping
- 20 g unsalted roasted peanuts
- Sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
For the Sauce
- 6 calamansi limes (or substitute with 2 regular limes)
- 1 red chili pepper (seeds removed)
- 30 g tamarind paste or tamarind sauce
- 20 ml molasses (or substitute with brown sugar)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (omit if using brown sugar instead of molasses)
- 3 tablespoons water
- Shichimi tōgarashi (or chili powder, to taste)
More About the Ingredients
Calamansi limes — This Southeast Asian citrus variety is small and contains many tiny seeds. However, despite being so small, they have a lot of juice and are less acidic than limes. Their color is greenish orange, and they have a delicious orange perfume.
Molasses — A paste obtained from sugar cane; it is dark in color and has a dense consistency like syrup. In this recipe, I use Blackstrap molasses. Its taste is not so sweet and slightly bitter.
Tamarind sauce — I prefer to use diluted and seedless tamarind sauce. Check the percentage of tamarind in the container; the higher, the better. Ensure it does not contain additives other than salt and water. Sometimes, they include a lot of sugar—or even garlic! We don’t want that in our salad.
Firm tofu — Ideal for this recipe. Drain all the liquid before using to achieve crunchy baked tofu pieces.
Guava — Guava contains many seeds, but you can usually find seedless guava in supermarkets, which is perfect for this recipe.
Peanuts — It can be not easy to find unsalted roasted peanuts. If you only have salted ones, rinse them with water to remove excess salt.
Tips for Making This Vegan Rojak Salad
Cut all the ingredients into medium-sized chunks. If you cut them too small, they will absorb too much sauce and become bland. Store them in the refrigerator while preparing the salad to avoid oxidation.
Don’t chop the peanuts too small — small pieces will lose their crunchiness as they become too soft with the sauce.
Remove the seeds and veins of the red chili pepper — this part of the pepper can be too spicy and ruin your sauce. If you want the sauce to be spicier, add some chili flakes or Shichimi tōgarashi.
Instructions
- Cut all the fruit and vegetables into cubes and store them in the refrigerator.
- Soak the tofu chunks with a little soy sauce and cornstarch. Place the tofu chunks on an oven tray with parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes at 200°C. No oil is needed.
- Chop the peanuts.
- Prepare the sauce: In a food grinder or blender, combine the calamansi lime juice (seedless), fresh chili pepper, molasses, tamarind, water, and sugar. Blend well until you get a smooth paste. Taste and adjust spiciness with Shichimi tōgarashi. Blend again if needed.
- Assemble the salad: Add the sauce to the fruit and tofu chunks and mix with a spoon. Add half of the chopped peanuts and mix again. Serve immediately, topped with the remaining peanuts and sesame seeds.
Serving Suggestions and Culinary Pairings
Enjoy vegan Rojak salad as a refreshing summer lunch or a light dinner. Serve it alongside grilled vegetables or tofu skewers for added protein, and pair it with a chilled drink like iced lemongrass tea or citrus-infused sparkling water to complement its vibrant flavors.
I hope you love it as much as we do. Who knows, it might become one of your favorite exotic salads!
Try Next…
- Vegan Sichuan Eggplant – Spicy & Garlicky
- Brown Fried Rice with Tofu and Cashews
- Singapore Noodles – Vegan Style
VEGAN ROJAK SALAD
Ingredients
- 200 gr Japanese cucumber (substitute – any type of cucumber).
- 200 gr Red apple
- 200 gr Pineapple
- 200 gr Guava
- 200 gr Firm tofu
- 200 gr Turnip (substitute – radish).
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch.
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce.
For the crunchy touch:
- 20 gr Peanuts (unsalted and roasted).
- Sesame seeds
For the sauce:
- 6 Calamansi limes (substitute – 2 limes).
- 1 Red chili pepper (remove the seeds).
- 30 gr Tamarind paste or tamarind sauce.
- 20 ml Molasses (substitute – brown sugar).
- 1 tablespoon Brown sugar (if you are already using brown sugar instead of molasses, you don’t need to add this).
- 3 tablespoon Water.
- Shichimi tōgarashi (substitue – powder).
Instructions
- Cut all the fruit and vegetables into cubes and store them in the refrigerator.
- Soak the tofu chunks with a little bit of soy sauce and add some corn starch; place the tofu chunks over an oven tray with a piece of parchment paper and bake them for 20 minutes at 200 celcius degrees, it is not necessary to add oil.
- Chop the peanuts.
- Let’s start making the sauce: Use a food grinder or blender. Pour the Calamansi limes juice (without the seeds), fresh chili pepper, molasses, tamarind, water, and sugar. Blend all the ingredients well until you get a smooth paste. Check the spiciness and add Shichimi tōgarashi to taste. Blend again.
- Mix the salad with the sauce: Add the sauce to the fruit and the tofu chunks and add half of the chopped peanuts. Mix well with a spoon to incorporate the sauce. Serve the salad immediately, adding the rest of the peanuts and some sesame seeds on top of it.
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