Red Currant Rujak Salad – Spicy Sweet Berries
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Rujak (roedjak) is a traditional Indonesian fruit salad known for its vibrant, spicy-sweet flavors served with a rich spicy, tangy sauce. While it’s typically made with tropical fruits like mango or pineapple, this version uses red currants for a unique twist.
Discover the bold and authentic flavors of a traditional Indonesian Rujak Manis recipe, a perfect companion to this modern red currant version!

The “Red Currant Rujak,” salad combines the tartness of red currants with sweet, savory, and slightly spicy notes. The sauce of palm sugar, shrimp paste, sweet soy sauce, and sambal oelek chili paste adds a flavorful layer to fresh red currants. It’s a perfect dish to serve as a condiment, snack, or side salad.
How It’s Prepared
The dish starts by dissolving palm sugar with shrimp paste over low heat until it blends into a smooth, caramel-like sauce. Sweet soy sauce and sambal oelek are mixed in to create a richly flavored dressing. This warm sauce is poured over red currants and left to marinate for a couple of hours, allowing the flavors to meld together.
Continue below for the full recipe with ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

Customization Options
You can adjust the sweetness or spiciness by using more or less of the palm sugar or sambal chili paste. For a vegan option, omit the shrimp paste and add a dash of soy sauce or miso for savory depth. Red currants can also be substituted with other tart berries, like raspberries or gooseberries.
Sweet and Spicy Red Currant Salad
Make red currant rujak salad with Indonesian spices for a tangy, spicy twist on a classic. Simple ingredients, big flavor.
Serve as a condiment, snack, or side dish.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a small pan, warm the palm sugar over low heat until it melts.
- Add the shrimp paste and stir until well combined.
- Add the sweet soy sauce and sambal oelek, stirring to blend all ingredients thoroughly.
- Place the red currants in a large mixing bowl and pour the warm sauce over the red currants, stirring gently to coat them without crushing.
- Cover and let the mixture marinate for about 2 hours before serving for the best flavor.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 87Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 531mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated. These figures should be considered estimates.



