As a person who’s obsessed with nuts, rojak is one of my favourite indulgent dishes to enjoy because of all the yummy, crushed nuts sprinkled on top. When I chanced upon Power Rojak Bandung on social media, I knew I had to make my way down to Ayer Rajah Food Centre to give it a try.
It was my first time patronising this hawker centre, and I loved how the stall numbers were displayed clearly, like those of our HDB blocks.
The family-run business has been operating for the past 24 years and is currently managed by 31-year-old Mr Firdaus Bhai and his 2 elder sisters, who take turns to help out. The 3 siblings took over from their father who, comes to the stall for only an hour once in a while.
What I tried at Power Rojak Bandung
I started things off with the Rojak Bandung (S$6 for small). It consisted of bee hoon, kangkong, cuttlefish, tau pok, bean sprouts, cucumber, turnip pieces and was topped with crushed peanuts, served with a piece of calamansi.
At first glance, the dish looked just like jiu he eng cai (cuttlefish salad with kangkong), a popular Chinese dish.
The dish had a marvellous play on textures with varying levels of crunchiness coming from the bean sprouts, kangkong, pieces of turnip and crushed peanuts— it was fun chewing on them.
The pieces of cuttlefish were the fulfilment of my gustatory dreams— tender and smooth. The fiery spiciness crept up on my taste buds like the tortoise in the race; slowly but surely.
The addition of bee hoon in the dish was a unique touch. The fine strands absorbed all the flavours like a sponge— it was my first time trying such a combination.
We then moved on to the next dish, the Rojak Petis Power (S$8). It looked regal with a truckload of ingredients piling up on the plate. There were pieces of cucumber, pineapple, you tiao, tau pok, turnip cubes, century egg, preserved ginger, and it was topped with pieces of dried cuttlefish with a drizzling of rojak sauce and crushed peanuts.
Before mixing everything, I added some bursts of freshness to the dish with the calamansi on the side.
You can have a dual experience from the pieces of you tiao. Have it at the start when it’s still flaky and crispy, or let them soak up all the flavourful gravy lying at the bottom.
There was an arc of bitterness, sweet notes and umami flavours coming from the pieces of dried cuttlefish. The century egg and preserved ginger combo is usually found in wu xiang xia bing (5-spice rolls), so it was interesting to have it within a plate of rojak.
The last dish I had, Bubur Kampong (S$4)Â was a bowl of thick congee which came topped with ikan bilis, peanuts, salted vegetables, fried shallots, coriander and half a salted egg.
The various condiments on top made a drab bowl of congee transform into a fancy porridge brimming with loud and vibrant nuances.
The savoury and tangy hints coming from the salted veggies, coupled with the crunchiness of the ikan bilis and peanuts, turned into a party in my mouth!
The small dish of sambal kicap may have been quietly sitting by the side, but it was a total game-changer when I emptied it into the congee.
The flavours of the Bubur Kampong were enhanced and became a little spice bomb, causing beads of sweat to appear on my forehead as I had more mouthfuls.
Final thoughts
Although I used up a full packet of tissue because of the sweltering heat and the spice level of the dishes, I was left feeling satisfied and invigorated from all the chillies.
All the dishes that I tried were special, and I’m glad the long journey there was worth it.Â
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