[Muslim-friendly] Fajar Rojak in Damansara Utama is our favourite spot for rojak buah.
Those who grew up in PJ in the 90s would be familiar with this rojak buah (fruit rojak) stall.
Fajar Rojak – a familiar name in PJ
This stall used to operate opposite Fajar Supermarket in the 90s – which gives it its name.
Max remembers crossing the LDP from Damansara Kim with his grandpa to shop at Fajar (which is now occupied by HSBC Bank) and tapau rojak buah from this stall.
Meanwhile, Ming used to frequent this stall often with her parents.
When Fajar closed down about 20 years ago, the stall moved into its current premise at the Damansara Uptown Hawker Centre.
The stall is only open for dinner from 6-11pm from Wednesdays to Sundays (with rest days on Mon & Tues).
Fajar Rojak – popular with all races and creed
While the stall is run by an old Chinese couple, the stall is popular with people from all races and walks of life.
In a way, Fajar Rojak’s popularity is similar to the dish – which is a mix of different vegetables and fruits tossed with a sweet-sour sauce to make a very delicious salad dish.
After all, rojak literally means “mixed” in the Malay language as well. The dish reflects this as it includes Chinese, Malay and Indian elements in its ingredients.
Fajar Rojak also serves Kerang Bakar and Tauhu Bakar
Apart from Rojak Buah (RM9 for small), the stall is also known for their Kerang Bakar (RM18 for small), Tauhu Bakar (RM6 for two), Kerang Rebus (RM17 for small) and Sotong Kangkung (RM17 for small).
The Kerang Bakar (barbequed cockles) is especially popular here as the cockles here are alive until they are cooked on the fire. See video in the Instagram post below.
These kerang bakar are usually served with a chilli sauce dip, and we have friends who are huge fans of the dish (but not us).
Rojak Buah – our favourite in PJ
With its Javanese origin, rojak is a type of salad dish popular in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. There are many variants and interpretations of this dish in the three countries – but Rojak Buah is definitely one of our favourites.
A typical rojak buah would be made of cut pineapple, raw papaya, green mangoes, jicama, and prawn crackers, tossed in a sweet-tangy sauce made with tamarind, prawn paste (he ko or betis udang), chilli, lime and sweet soy sauce.
Thick and sticky sauce, crispy crackers
We enjoy Fajar’s version as the sauce is thick and sticky, with a nice balance of savouriness from the prawn paste, and sweet-sourness from the other ingredients. It also has the right amount of spicy kick from the chilli paste.
Fajar’s fruits of choice include pineapple, mango, and papaya in its mix, and also youtiao (Chinese fried dough).
The fried crackers here are also of the better ones as they are thin and crispy, with a noticeable prawn taste as well.
Summary
Fajar Rojak is a taste of our childhood, and the quality and flavours of the dish had remained consistent throughout the years!
While this may not be the best rojak buah for some people – it is certainly the best for us.
RECOMMENDED!
Fajar Rojak
Address: Damansara Hawker Centre, Lot 1026 Uptown, Jalan SS 21/39, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Hours: 6pm-11pm (Wed-Sun, rest days on Mon-Tues)
Phone: 019-381 2438
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