A light salad bursting with fruity flavors and the surprising tang and umami of Vietnamese mixed fish sauce.
Cook’s notes
It is not, strictly speaking, a Vietnamese dish. I must say though that this shrimp and watermelon salad was inspired by the popular Vietnamese pomelo salad which can be prepared with shrimp or chicken. And the dressing we used is as Vietnamese as Vietnamese can be. Mixed fish sauce.
Although the title of this recipe says it’s a salad with shrimps, bean sprouts and watermelon, those three aren’t the only components of the salad. Romaine lettuce, mandarin orange segments and cubes of feta complete the mix.
Serving tip: It is imperative that you serve the salad immediately. The watermelon will start expelling its juice the moment it gets in contact with the citrus juice in the dressing. So, right after tossing everything together, serve at once.
Shrimps, bean sprouts and watermelon salad
Ingredients
- 20 medium shrimps peeled and deveined
- salt
- pepper
- 6 cups seedless watermelon cubes
- 1 cup mandarin orange segments available in jars and cans
- 4 generous handfuls mung bean sprouts rinsed and drained well
- 1 small head Romaine lettuce torn into bite-zise pieces, rinsed and passed through the salad spinner
- 1 cup cubed feta
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons calamansi juice or lime or lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon chopped chilies (optional)
Instructions
Cook the shrimps
- In a frying pan, boil enough water to reach a depth of one inch. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Spread the shrimps in the boiling water and cook for two to two and a half minutes per side.
- Scoop out the shrimps and dry on a bed of paper towels. Cool.
Toss the salad
- In a large mixing bowl, toss together the watermelon cubes, mandarin orange segments, bean sprouts, lettuce and feta.
- Add the shrimps. Toss to distribute.
- Drizzle in the dressing and toss a few more times.
- Serve immediately.
Cookies and cream polvoron