Nộm măng (Vietnamese Bamboo Salad)

Crunchy bamboo strips mixed with tender pork belly and firm shrimp. The acidity of the lime and the heat of the chili wake up the palate, all topped with roasted peanuts.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 612
• Protein: 23 g
• Carbs: 37 g
• Fat: 41 g

Ingredients

• 500 g bamboo shoots ( blanched and cut into strips )
• 200 g Pork belly ( poached and thinly sliced )
• 200 g Shrimp ( cooked and peeled )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 2 piece Thai chili ( sliced )
• 60 ml Lime juice ( fresh )
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp Brown sugar
• 50 g Peanut ( roasted and crushed )
• 20 g Fried onions
• 10 g Vietnamese coriander ( chopped )
• 10 g Mint fresh ( chopped )
• 100 g Shrimp crackers ( ready to serve or fried )

Instructions

1. Blanch the bamboo

   Plunge the bamboo shoots into boiling salted water for 10 minutes. They should lose their bitterness while remaining firm. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water to stop the cooking.

2. Cook the proteins

   Poach the pork belly in simmering water until tender. Cook the shrimp separately in the same water until pink. Let cool before slicing the pork into thin strips.

3. Prepare the dressing

   Mince the garlic and Thai chili. In a bowl, dissolve the brown sugar in the lime juice and fish sauce. Add the garlic and chili. The taste should be a clear balance between sour, salty, and sweet.

4. Slice and chop

   Cut the bamboo into matchstick-sized strips. Coarsely chop the mint and Vietnamese coriander. Crush the peanuts.

5. Assemble and serve

   In a large bowl, mix the bamboo, pork, shrimp, and herbs. Pour the dressing and mix so that every element is well coated. Top with peanuts and fried onions. Serve immediately with the shrimp crackers for crunch.

Chef's tips

• To remove the bitterness of fresh bamboo, blanch it several times, changing the water each time.
• Only toss with the dressing right before serving to keep the herbs vibrant and the bamboo crunchy.

Storage

Consume immediately. Does not store well due to fresh herbs and the dressing softening the bamboo.