I personally love stories of young locals who take over the family business handed over by either their mom or dad – especially one that involves a family recipe being passed from one generation to another. It is because of them that we don’t lose ourlocal favourite cuisines as the older generation start to retire. One such business is the Ministry of Rojak. Abdus Salam, is the name of the son of a Rojak master at the Ayer Rajah Rood Centre at West Coast Drive, who now runs the Ministry of Rojak of the far far east. His dad named the business after him when he started it may years ago. Today, he learnt the craft, gave it a modern twist, and made it his own by calling it Ministry of Rojak.
Assorted Rojak @ Ministry of Rojak
You know when someone really knows his craft when they talk about it in intricate details – from prepping to plating. This was especially important because this media visit was done in Ramadhan, so we had no choice but to take home our Rojak Fondue before we could do a taste test to see if it tasted as good at we heard. Personally, I was a bit apprehensive about it.
Rojak Fondue @ Ministry of Rojak
To the delight of my tastebuds, the Rojak Fondue braved the test of time (a grand total of 4 hours) and passed with flying colours – it was absolutely delicious.Here’s the secret for taking away Rojak: Each of the items of a good Rojak is fried first, and then cut so that you can have the crunch on the outside and at the same time retain the softness of the inside. So if you want to take it home, they will do exactly that, and then pack them in generous portions for you. Once you’re amount to eat it at home, either pop it in the oven, or air fry the items before serving it – Don’t use the microwave!
Rojak Fondue @ Ministry of Rojak
My mom always said that the best Rojak isn’t about the items of the rojak it self – it is always about the gravy. I was pleasantly surprised with the taste of the gravy which was a little bit on the sweeter side, and it was thick and really smooth. The very kind of gravy that with just one dip, you would be able to grab enough volume of the gravy without the need to double dip – puurrrrfect!
Ministry of Rojak
I thought I should end the post with the photo of the store front, in case you miss it when you walk past White Sands. If you’re making plans to visit them, turn right the moment you exit the mrt station towards White Sands. You don’t have to enter the mall, as their entrance is on along the train station opposite to ananas.
All in all, this was a tradition and recipe that was pass down in all its perfection, one that gets a thumbs up from me, with a “highly recommended” chef’s hat if I had one. Alhamdulillah!
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