A light salad bursting with fruity flavors and the surprising tang and umami of Vietnamese fish sauce.
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 says it’s a salad with shrimps, mung 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.
Shrimps, Mung Bean Sprouts and Watermelon Salad
Recipe byIt 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.
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
For the dressing
- ¼ cup mixed fish sauce
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 fruits and vegetables
- 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 mixed fish sauce and toss a few more times.
- Serve immediately.
