In addition to its widespread good reputation and a direct recommendation from the owner of the highly successful Rujak Pak Jangkung of Megaria, it is finally time for FoodieS to experience the one and only – Rujak Buah Pasar Tebet.

Ubiquitous and very much loved, especially among ladies, rujak buah or fruit salad is one of the pillars of Asian street food. It is both a dessert and snack that is enjoyable from time to time, and a healthy alternative for your indulging daily meals. Suffice to say for us in Indonesia here, the rujak buah vendors are the heroes of our lifetime.

How can they not? If it weren’t for these hard working fellows, everybody may not have their intake of fresh fruits for their daily diet as people are not always confident to pick the right fruits from the market. Sometimes it is also a good value for money as well to have more options from a single serving rather than buying a whole huge watermelon or papaya for instance.

Many of these vendors travel around the neighborhood, but many also prefer to stay in strategic areas – be it at busy intersections around your home, the street food stalls around your office, or nearby the traditional markets like this one.

Stationed nearby Pasar Tebet for the past 20 years, these fellows do not seem to bother putting a real name for their business but people will still flock there from many miles away for quality fruits from time to time.

At their busiest hours of the day, three crews will manage everything from taking orders, slicing the fruits, preparing the sambal, and packing them one by one. Back home, they will also prepare the fruits for another day and all the ingredients needed for the sambal in large batches.

Well, even a fruit salad business feels like a 24/7 occupation!

As for the fruits, Rujak Buah Pasar Tebet only offers several tropical types such as the red and beautiful water guava, the exotic jicama, the colorful pomelo and pineapple, the crunchy green guava, and the all time favorite young mangoes. Their concoction of this thick and nutty sambal has more ratios for the sweetness than the spiciness, which can be piked up later with additional red eye chilies based on your preference.

So whenever you visit Pasar Tebet for a good meal and shopping, be sure to drop by at this humble vendor to treat your family back home or the colleagues at the office.

Fruit salad is always fun to share with everyone!

RUJAK BUAH PASAR TEBET | Jalan Tebet Barat IX (nearby Pasar Tebet Barat and in front of BCA), Jakarta

Featured in FoodieS Apr 2016 issue and Qubicle:
http://qubicle.id/story/searching-for-street-food-rujak-buah-pasar-tebet

Photography: Rian Farisa