Maltose rojak from Penang in KL & PJ
When it comes to rojak in Klang Valley, we usually visualise a bowl of youtiao, fruits, and cucumbers hidden under a shrimp paste and brown sugar kuah. Up in Penang, however, they have a take on rojak that’s a little different. Instead of the sweet and dark kuah we’re used to, the ingredients are topped with malt sugar that’s thick and sticky – it looks almost like creamy soft serve.
Called maltose rojak, this viral Penang dish can now be found at night markets in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. As the food adventurers we are, we dropped by a stall tucked within SS2 night market that serves this unique rojak to bring you this food review.
Sweet & salty rojak topped with sticky maltose paste
If you’re someone who enjoys different flavours and textures in each bite, you’ll be sure to like maltose rojak.
Each bowl of Maltose Rojak (RM15) sold at a stall called Penang Maltose Rojak is filled generously with a variety of crispy and crunchy ingredients: cucumber, guava, green mango, fried youtiao, and cuttlefish.
These are all textbook ingredients of rojak typically found in Klang Valley. But here comes the twist: its kuah.
Thick and gooey maltose sits atop the mound of ingredients like a golden-brown, weighty crown. We couldn’t help but be mesmerised by the way the stall’s owner deftly ladled beautiful swirls of it over the rojak – like churning out caramel soft serve in a cup and slathering chocolate spread on sliced bread.
Finally, chopped peanuts and tiny dried shrimps are sprinkled over everything to complete the dish.
According to the owners, they acquired the recipe from locals in Penang and decided to bring the dish to KL – so rest assured, the taste is pretty legit.
If you’re curious to try this dish out, Penang Maltose Rojak travels between night markets in Klang Valley:
- SS2 Night Market: 5pm-11pm, Mondays
- Taman Connaught Night Market: 6.30pm-11.30pm, Wednesdays
- OUG Night Market: 4pm-11.30pm, Thursdays
- Setia Alam Night Market: 4.30pm-10pm, Saturdays
Here’s what we thought
When we first got our hands on the maltose rojak, we couldn’t help but wonder how to dig into it – the bowl was stuffed to the brim, and we didn’t want to make a mess when mixing the ingredients around.
But in no time, the maltose started to melt. As the paste made its way towards the bottom of the bowl, it filled up any gaps it could find between the ingredients – everything was nicely coated in the end without much mixing needed.
Considering how thickly the malt sugar was layered in the bowl, we thought that we would easily get jelak by the extreme sweetness when we tucked into the rojak too.
To our surprise, the caramel-like taste of the paste was present without overpowering the other ingredients. The dried shrimps further balanced out the sweetness, adding a nice salty touch to the dish.
For texture, the fried youtiao and cucumbers offered a satisfying crunch in each bite. But our favourite was the cubes of green mango, because its zestiness added an acidic and sweet touch to the rojak that complemented the maltose well.
Get this delicious Penang rojak from night markets in KL & PJ
After trying this Penang-style maltose rojak, it is easy to see why the dish is cherished by many. A delicious bowl like this delivers a well-balanced mix of saltiness, sweetness, and tanginess that’s worth queueing up for. As Penang Maltose Rojak switches up its locations in KL and Selangor throughout the week, you can drop by the nearest market to try it out too.
Sticky Malt Sugar Rojak @ SS2 Night Market:
Address: 56, Jalan SS 2/61, SS 2, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours: Mon 5pm-11pm
Also watch our video feature here:
Other food haunts in Klang Valley worth checking out is this roadside stall that sells RM10 omurice and this Aiskrim Pulut stall in KL that’s popular for its RM2 coconut ice cream with pulut.
Photography by Dennis Kong.
Cover image adapted from: The Smart Local Malaysia