Rujak is a spicy mixed fruit salad found throughout Indonesia. Here I puree it to make a sweet and spicy sauce for meatballs.
For the meatballs: Add the shrimp, onions, ginger, garlic, peppers and pork to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the egg, tamari, cilantro, lime zest and juice and mix together until well combined. Form the mixture into balls using a disher (scoop). Heat the oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the balls until a good crust forms, before turning, about 2 minutes.
For the sauce: Add all of the fruit to a food processor and quickly pulse. Add the sugar, tamarind and red pepper flakes and puree until the mixture becomes a thick sauce.
Put a little of the sauce into a serving bowl and top with the meatballs. Serve with bowls of sauce on the side, and a container of toothpicks.
Cook’s Note
Can't find star fruit? Substitute a can of drained pineapple pieces.
A viewer or guest of the show, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. It has not been tested for home use.