Description
A delicious and refreshing green mango and calamari salad that’s full of contrasting yet complementing Southeast Asian flavors and textures. Enjoy this salad with a classic fish sauce dressing.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Salad
- 1 lb calamari
- 1 shallot (peeled and thinly sliced)
- 2-inch ginger (unpeeled and thinly sliced)
- 2 lbs green mango
- Toasted unsalted peanuts (coarsely chopped)
- Fried shallots
- Vietnamese coriander (rau răm)
- Shrimp chips (bánh phồng tôm)
Fish Sauce Dressing
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1/3 cup fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 cup coconut soda (Coco Rico brand)
- 2 Thai chili peppers (thinly sliced)
- 2 large garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- Clean calamari: Give the calamari a good rinse to remove any fishy smell. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut open calamari with the interior facing up. Score the interior in a crosshatch pattern then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Cook calamari: Fill a small pot with water, add sliced ginger and shallots, and bring the pot to a boil. Let the aromatics release their fragrance (about 3 minutes) then add calamari. Cook for 2 minutes or until calamari starts to curl. Remove calamari from the pot and set aside.
- Prepare mango: Slice the mango into thin strips with a julienne peeler.
- Make the shrimp chips: I only use half of the package. Add 2 inches of vegetable oil to a large skillet and heat to 350°F. Add 3 or 4 chips at a time. Don’t overcrowd the skillet. Fry until it fully expands out flat (about 10 seconds). Flip chips for even cooking. Transfer to a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Make the fish sauce dressing: In a medium bowl, combine sugar and hot water until sugar dissolves. Add rest of ingredients (fish sauce, lemon/lime juice, coconut soda, chili peppers and garlic). Mix until combined.
- Put everything together: Combine mango, calamari, and Vietnamese coriander leaves in a large bowl. Add a little drizzle of fish sauce dressing (a little at a time to your liking) and toss to combine. Garnish salad with toasted peanuts and fried shallots. Serve with shrimp chips.
Notes
You can substitute the calamari for something else such as scallops, shrimp, or tofu.
You can substitute Vietnamese coriander with cilantro, mint, or Thai basil.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: side dish, appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: asian, vietnamese