Rujak (Spicy Fruit Salad)

Rujak is Indonesia’s fruit salad, but do not expect anything mild. Firm tropical fruits are tossed in a thick dressing of palm sugar, chili, tamarind, and shrimp paste that is sweet, sour, salty, and scorching all at once. Vendors pound the dressing fresh to order, and it is the snack that wakes up your whole mouth on a hot afternoon. It is served at room temperature, never cold, so the flavors stay loud.

Sweet, sour, salty, and scorching in a single bite

Crisp jicama, mango, pineapple, and cucumber hold their crunch against the sticky, fiery dressing, which clings to every piece. The crushed peanuts on top add texture, and a squeeze of lime brightens everything. It is bracingly bold — a little sweet, a little savage — and once you start, it is very hard to stop. Rujak is also endlessly adaptable — swap in whatever crisp fruit you have, as long as it can stand up to the dressing.

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