Grilled Shrimp Salad with Peanuts and Pomelo Recipe

This refreshing and fragrant salad is typical of the salad of central and southern Vietnam, where fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and shellfish are all tossed together in one dish. It makes a great addition to a barbecue: simply thread the shrimps on the skewers to cook them or alternatively, cook the shrimps as they are on a griddle.

Ingredients : Serves 4

16 -20

30 ml

1/2

60 ml

1 tablespoon

1 small bunch

For the marinade

30 ml

15 ml

1 clove

10 ml

Raw tiger shrimps, peeled and de-veined

Small cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks

Pomelo, separated into segments and cut into bite-size pieces

Carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

Green Serrano chili, seeded and finely sliced

Roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Lime, juiced

Nuoc cham

Vegetable oil, for gridding

Fresh basil, stalks removed, leaves torn

Coriander (cilantro) stalks removed, leaves chopped

Nuoc mam

Soy sauce

Groundnut (peanut) oil

Shallot, finely chopped

Garlic, crushed

Raw can sugar

Method :

In a wide bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients. Add the shrimps, making sure they are coated, and set aside for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the cucumber matchsticks with salt and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse and drain the cucumber and mix in a large bowl with the pomelo, carrot, chili and peanuts.
Add the lime juice and nuoc cham and toss well.
To barbecue, thread the marinated shrimps on to wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes.
Cook on a prepared barbecue for 2-3 minutes, turning them over from time to time.
To griddle, wipe a hot griddle with a little oil, and cook the shrimps on both sides until they turn opaque.
Once cooked, toss the shrimps into the salad with the herbs and serve.

Pomelos

Larger and sweeter than grapefruits, yellow pomelos are piled high on stalls in the coastal regions, where people often peel them on a hot day to make an impromptu salad with a little salt and a few herbs. They are available in many Asian markets and stores but, if you can't find them, use a sweet, pink grapefruit instead. The zesty, refreshing flavor of the fruit makes this a lovely summer salad.