Pasembur – Indian Muslim Rojak or Salad

Pasembur – Indian Muslim Rojak or Salad

Pasembur or some call it ‘Rojak Mamak’ is a Malaysian Indian salad with consisting of vegetables and seafood served with sweet and spicy nut gravy or sauce. It derived mainly from Northern Peninsular Malaysia in Penang.

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients:

                Salad:

• Taufoo or beancurd – fried and sliced
• Sengkuang or Jicama (turnip) – shredded finely
• Beansprouts – blanched
• Potatoes – boiled and cubed
• Cucumbers – shredded finely

  Seafood: (deep fried)

• Prawns
• Squids
• Crabs – soft shells

Garnishing:

• Boiled eggs – halved
• shallots – fried crispy
• Peanuts – roasted & grounded coarsely
• Roasted sesame seeds – 2 tablespoons (optional)

Gravy / Sauce: (sweet and spicy peanut sauce)

• 500 grams sweet potatoes – boiled & mashed with 2 cups water
• 10 shallots – sliced thinly
• 1/2 pod chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chilli paste ( soak dry chillies in boiling water, remove seeds & ground)
• 1/2  – 1 cup  roasted, coarsely ground peanuts (according to taste)
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil
• 5 cups water – according to how thick or thin a gravy you want
• 3 tablespoons brown  or white sugar
• 1 tablespoon tamarind juice

Method:

1. In a deep pan or “kuali”, add the oil and when it’s hot enough, add in the chopped garlic and shallots.
2. When it’s golden brown, add in the chilli paste and when cooked, add in the  mashed sweet potatoes
3. Add in the water, a little at a time and 1 tablespoon tamarind juice.
4. Then, season with salt, 3 tablespoon brown sugar ( according to taste).
5. Add in the peanuts. Simmer for about 2 -3 minutes  and taste.
6. When the oil splits at the sides, switch off the flame.
7. The sauce should not bee too thick or too runny but smooth enough to pour over the salad.
8. Optional: You can add a little black soy sauce for colour.

Prawn fritters: (the same batter for squids and crabs but minus the chives and onions)

• Fresh prawns – 1/2 kg
• Plain flour – 2 cups
• Kucai or chives – 4 stalks
• Crushed dry chillies  – 2 teaspoons or according to taste
• Onions – 1 large onion
• Salt – as needed
• Water – as needed
• Baking powder – 1 teaspoon (optional)

Method:

1.  Mix all the ingredients to make a very thick batter.
2. Saute the chives until they become soft and onions become  translucent.
3. Add them and the fresh prawns to the batter.
4. Deep fry each prawn – one by one, in hot oil until crispy.
5. Drain them onto kitchen paper.

Assembling:

1. Arrange all the shredded vegetables, cubed potatoes, beansprouts, fried seafood and boiled eggs on a plate.
2. Pour the sauce on them and garnish.

NB: You can slice the seafood into smaller pieces before serving.