Vietnamese Shrimp and Pork Salad

A crunchy salad where tender pork belly meets firm pink shrimp. The balance between lime acidity and the depth of fish sauce awakens the fresh herbs.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 896
• Protein: 30 g
• Carbs: 36 g
• Fat: 68 g

Ingredients

• 400 g Pork belly ( boiled then thinly sliced )
• 300 g Shrimp ( cooked and peeled )
• 2 piece Carrot ( finely julienned )
• 1 piece Korean radish ( finely julienned )
• 1 piece Cucumber ( seeded and sliced )
• 50 g Peanut ( roasted and crushed )
• 2 tbsp Fried onions
• 1 piece Mint fresh ( leaves chopped )
• 1 piece Vietnamese coriander ( chopped )
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp Lime juice
• 2 tbsp White sugar
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 1 piece Thai chili optional ( sliced without seeds )
• 100 g Shrimp crackers ( fried )

Instructions

1. Cooking the proteins

   Plunge the pork belly into boiling salted water until tender. Cook the shrimp separately: they should be pink and firm. Cool immediately in ice water to stop the cooking.

2. Vegetable preparation

   Cut the carrot and radish into fine julienne. Slice the cucumber on the bias. The pork belly should be cut into very thin, almost transparent slices.

3. Nước Chấm Sauce

   Mince the garlic and Thai chili. Mix with fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar. The sugar must be completely dissolved, the sauce should be clear.

4. Assembly and serving

   Mix the vegetables, chopped herbs, pork, and shrimp. Pour the sauce and stir gently. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts and fried onions. Serve immediately with shrimp crackers to provide a crunchy contrast to every bite.

Chef's tips

• The secret is in the cut: the thinner the vegetables, the better they absorb the dressing.
• Only toss with the dressing at the last moment to keep the vegetables crunchy.
• If the pork belly is too fatty, trim the excess after boiling.

Storage

Consume immediately. Does not store well in the fridge once dressed as the vegetables will release water.