Vietnamese Pickled Cucumber Salad
4 servings
25 minutes
Vietnamese pickled cucumber salad is a bright and refreshing dish that reflects the richness and sophistication of Vietnamese cuisine. Its roots trace back to the street food traditions of Ho Chi Minh City, where fresh vegetables, shrimp, and nuts come together in a wonderful symphony of flavors. The light tanginess of pickled cucumbers harmonizes with the sweetness of carrots and crunchy peanuts, while tender shrimp add elegance to the dish. The dressing made from rice vinegar and olive oil gives the salad a refreshing lightness, while sesame seeds and herbs add aromatic depth. An ideal choice for a summer dinner or snack, this salad pairs beautifully with fish and seafood dishes and can also stand alone as a gastronomic gem.
1
Boil the shrimp until half-cooked, peel them, and sauté in olive oil.
- Shrimps: 250 g
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
2
Chop the carrot.
- Carrot: 1 piece
3
Roast the peanuts in a dry pan.
- Peanut: 2 tablespoons
4
Combine shrimp, carrot, peanuts, and cucumber. Add soybean sprouts and finely chopped greens.
- Shrimps: 250 g
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Peanut: 2 tablespoons
- Cucumbers: 2 pieces
- Soybean sprouts: 50 g
- Green: 1 bunch
5
For the dressing, whisk vinegar with olive oil.
- Rice vinegar: 100 ml
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
6
Dress the salad and sprinkle with sesame. Place the mixture on the lettuce leaves.
- Sesame seeds: 1 tablespoon
- Iceberg lettuce: 1 piece
7
Slice the cucumbers thinly and marinate for 10-15 minutes. To prepare the marinade, bring rice vinegar to a boil, add sugar, salt, pepper, and cloves.
- Cucumbers: 2 pieces
- Rice vinegar: 100 ml
- Sugar: 1 tablespoon
- Salt: to taste