Rojak

Rojak means "eclectic mix" in Malay, and well, let's just say it definitely lives up to its name. Native to Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, I would best compare it to a fruit salad...but it tastes nothing like fruit or a salad.

I tried Rojak with my coworkers for lunch, when it was being served for free at the office. I was warned that the dish is an acquired taste, and well, I don't think I'll be acquiring this taste anytime soon.

This dish is made of fruits, vegetables, and youtiao (dough fritters), covered in a sticky black sauce and topped with chopped peanuts. The true telling of good (or bad) rojak is the sauce, which is made of fermented prawn paste, lime, chili paste, and sugar.

The sauce was unlike anything I have ever tasted before - a combination of sweet, spicy, and sour flavors. Not a huge fan of it, so I tried to stay away from it as much as possible.

However, the youtiao was absolutely amazing, chewy and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.

While I will probably not try this dish again, I recommend it to anyone who is visiting Singapore and wants to try something completely different for their palate.