Surely everyone has tried various salads such as: chicken salad, duck salad, mango salad,… But what about jelly salad? Have you tried this unique and strange salad yet? Today, TasteVN will accompany you in the kitchen to reveal 2 recipes for making crunchy, refreshing jelly salad right at home!
1. Jelly Salad with Shrimp and Pork
Preparation
30 minutes
Cooking
20 minutes
Difficulty level
Easy
Ingredients for Jelly Salad with Shrimp and Pork For 2 people
Jelly strands 200 gr Pork belly 200 gr Shrimp 250 gr Peanuts 40 gr Cucumber 2 pieces Carrot 1 piece Lemon 2 pieces Chili 3 pieces Vietnamese coriander 10 gr Red onion 1 piece Sugar 3 tablespoons Fish sauce 2 tablespoons Coarse salt 1 tablespoon Salt a little Cooking oil 2 tablespoons
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh shrimp
- Fresh shrimp have a translucent shell and a slight smell of sea water, not a fishy smell. Do not buy shrimp that have dark spots or inconsistent colors.
- Fresh shrimp usually have their tails curled together; if the tails are spread out, the shrimp may have been injected with chemicals or water to make them look plump.
- Fresh shrimp typically have legs firmly attached to the body. If the shrimp’s legs have turned black or are no longer firmly attached, do not buy them as they are no longer fresh.
See details: How to choose and preserve fresh shrimp
How to choose fresh pork belly
- The color of good pork is a bright pink, not too red and not too pale. Pork that is pale, has a greenish tint, and smells bad is spoiled, so you should not choose this type of meat.
- Pork that is firm and bouncy is good quality. You can test it by pressing your finger into the meat; if it bounces back immediately, is not slimy, and does not release liquid, it is good.
- You should choose pork belly that has both lean meat and fat so that your dish does not become dry or too greasy from excessive fat.
See details: How to choose quality pork
How to choose fresh and delicious carrots
- Fresh and delicious carrots will have a deep orange color, bright skin, and the root will be firm and sturdy in hand. The carrot tops are still green and not wilted.
- Additionally, you should choose long and slender carrots with few eyes on the body for easier cooking.
- Do not buy those with a foul smell, rotten tops, and bent bodies. These are old carrots that are difficult to prepare.
See details: How to choose fresh carrots
How to make Shrimp and Meat Jelly Salad
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Soak the jelly
Soak the jelly in a bowl of warm water for 30 minutes to soften it, then remove and drain.
Tip: If you use the type of seaweed that is crunchy, do not soak it for too long, over 2 hours, as it will become slimy and not delicious. Remember to change the water frequently to remove the saltiness and enhance the flavor of the seaweed.
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Preparing shrimp
Use your hands to pull the head of the shrimp away from the body, then rinse the shrimp with water and place it on paper to let it absorb all the water.
Use your hands to peel the shrimp shell from the legs up, and use a knife to make a light cut along the back of the shrimp to expose the shrimp vein, then carefully pull the vein out.
Quick way to remove the shrimp vein
- Count backwards from the shrimp tail to the second groove connecting the two segments of the shrimp shell, pierce this spot with a toothpick and gently pull the black vein to remove it from the shrimp.
- You don’t need to use a knife to cut the back of the shrimp; you can also use a toothpick to dig out the head of the shrimp, and you will see the black vein. Gently pull this black thread out and the shrimp is clean.
After buying pork, you should scrub it clean with coarse salt, rinse it with water, and then place it in a basket to drain. You can leave the meat whole or cut it in half to cook it faster.
How to clean pork thoroughly and remove any odor
- Rub the meat with coarse salt and rinse it thoroughly with water.
- You can also blanch it briefly with smashed shallots (or ginger), or blanch it briefly in boiling water with a little white wine.
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Prepare other ingredients
Peel the carrot, cut it into pieces, and then use a peeler to slice it into thin slices. Next, use a serrated knife to cut the carrot slices into thin strips to make the salad look more appealing.
Cut the cucumber in half and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Then use a serrated knife to cut the cucumber into strips the same length as the carrot but a little thicker.
To maintain the crunchiness of the carrot and cucumber, prepare a bowl of ice water and soak the carrot and cucumber for about 15 minutes, then take them out to drain.
Peel and finely chop the shallots. Finely chop the bird’s eye chili.
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Boil shrimp and pork
Put the meat in a pot with 2 liters of water. Place the pot on the stove and cook over medium heat until the meat is firm and cooked through, then take it out. During the boiling process, remember to skim off the white foam.
Cut the pork into thin slices for easy eating.
Change the water in the pot, heat it on high. When the water starts to boil, add the shrimp and boil for about 5 minutes. When the shrimp turns red and firm, turn off the heat and take the shrimp out.
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Prepare the salad dressing
Put 3 tablespoons of sugar into a bowl, squeeze about 2 limes into it, and remove the seeds.
Next, add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, stir well until the sugar dissolves.
Finally, add minced chili, mix well, and the salad dressing is ready.
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Sauté onion and roast peanuts
Place a pan on the stove, add peanuts and 1 teaspoon of salt into the pan. Stir evenly over medium heat until the peanut shells crack and are slightly burnt, then turn off the heat and let them cool.
Next, reuse the same pan, add about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. When the oil starts to heat up, add the fried onions and stir evenly until they turn golden and fragrant. Then, turn off the heat and remove the onions into a bowl.
Tip: To save time, you can buy pre-roasted peanuts.
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Mixing the salad
Add about 6 teaspoons of fish sauce for the salad into the bowl with shrimp and meat, mix well, and marinate for about 10 minutes to let the shrimp and meat absorb the seasoning.
Then, gradually add jelly, shrimp and meat, carrots, cucumbers, peanuts, and fried onions into a large bowl. Chop the Vietnamese coriander and add a little fish sauce for the salad. Use your hands to knead the salad and mix all the ingredients together.
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Finished product
Jelly salad that is crunchy and crispy. Carrots and cucumbers still retain their freshness and crunchiness. The shrimp and pork are boiled just right. The sweet and sour fish sauce blends with the fresh, crunchy ingredients, making the salad both unusual and delicious.
2. Jelly salad with salted egg
Preparation
30 minutes
Cooking
20 minutes
Difficulty level
Easy
Ingredients for Jelly salad with salted egg For 2 people
Dried seaweed 150 gr Smoked pork belly 100 gr Salted egg yolks 3 eggs Lettuce 150 gr Cherry tomatoes 6 pieces Cucumbers 2 pieces Beetroot 3 pieces Chopped chili 1 tablespoon Mayonnaise 3 tablespoons Yellow mustard 1 tablespoon Honey 2 tablespoons White sesame 2 tablespoons Cooking oil 1 tablespoon Basil A little
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh, delicious lettuce
- Choose heads with long, thick stems. Lettuce that is not treated with chemicals will have dark green outer leaves, and the inner layers will be greenish-white, fading gradually.
- Choose heads that feel slightly slimy when you break the stem. These are fresh, recently harvested heads.
- The leaves should be smooth, tightly rolled, and have a light fragrance.
How to choose delicious cucumbers
- You can choose cucumbers that are bright green, evenly colored, and intact.
- It’s best to select those that are straight, elongated, and not bent, as these tend to have a denser, sweeter, and crisper flesh compared to unevenly sized ones.
- Avoid cucumbers with bumps, that feel light and overly soft. Select ones that are medium-sized, feel heavy, and have smooth skin.
How to choose fresh, delicious tomatoes
- You should choose tomatoes with smooth, shiny skin, juicy and bright red, with green stems still attached.
- Avoid those with dark spots or small black specks, and those with uneven colors of both green and red.
- If they feel too soft or too hard when you touch them, or if juice runs out, do not buy them; they may be spoiled.
Note: For salted eggs, you can buy them at supermarkets or make salted eggs at home to ensure hygiene and safety.
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Tools needed
Steamer pot, pan, knife, bowl, cutting board,…
How to make Salted Egg Jelly Salad
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Preparation of Vegetables
Wash the seaweed thoroughly with water. Then soak the seaweed in damp water for about 30 minutes until it softens, then drain the water.
Cut the cucumber diagonally into about 1/2 finger length. Halve the cherry tomatoes. The beetroot should be sliced thinly. Next, to maintain the crunchiness of the vegetables, prepare a bowl of ice water and soak the cucumber, tomatoes, and beetroot for about 15 minutes.
Wash the lettuce and basil, then cut them into strips.
Tip: Do not soak the seaweed for too long, more than 2 hours, as it will become slimy and unpleasant. Remember to change the water frequently to remove the saltiness and enhance the flavor of the seaweed.
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Preparation of Salted Eggs
Separate the egg whites from the yolks of the salted eggs. Rinse the yolks under running water and pat them dry, then place them on a plate.
Prepare a pot of boiling water, place the egg yolks in a steamer and steam for about 10 minutes, then let them cool. Next, divide the yolks into 2 parts. One part should be mashed with a fork, and the other part should be diced finely.
Small tip: You can soak the salted egg yolks in white wine for about 10 minutes and then rinse them to enhance the aroma of the yolks.
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Fry the bacon
Cut the bacon into slices about 2 fingers wide.
Place a pan on the stove, add about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan, and set the heat to high. When the oil starts to heat up, add the meat, stirring until the meat is evenly golden brown, slightly charred at the edges, then turn off the heat.
Strain the bacon through a sieve to remove the oil.
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Prepare the dressing
Gradually add 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard, 2 tablespoons of honey, crushed salted egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of chopped chili, 2 tablespoons of white sesame seeds, and 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise into a bowl. Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.
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Mix the salad
Prepare a large bowl. Then gradually add all the ingredients (except for the lettuce) into the bowl and add about 1/2 of the salad dressing. Mix everything together thoroughly.
Arrange the lettuce on a plate. Place the mixed salad on top, and nicely arrange the vegetables. Finally, sprinkle the chopped salted egg yolk and basil on top. And you have completed the salted egg jelly salad.
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Final Product
The sauce is rich and creamy, lightly fragrant with sesame, combined with crunchy seaweed and fresh, crisp vegetables, making the salad feel refreshing and appealing when eaten. Use the leftover sauce for dipping with the salad to enhance the dish’s flavor.
How to Choose Good Seaweed (Crunchy Seaweed)
- Crunchy seaweed is sold at grocery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. Crunchy seaweed is quite similar to spinach jelly. However, the stalks of spinach jelly are flat, with branches connecting like membranes, while crunchy seaweed has round, even stalks, with branches spreading out like tree branches.
- In particular, crunchy seaweed is often suitable for salads, while spinach jelly is used for desserts as spinach jelly dissolves less than crunchy seaweed.
- Differentiate between the two types of jelly to buy the correct one, ensuring the dish will taste better.
See more:
With 2 ways to make jelly salad that are crispy and refreshing, which TasteVN just shared with you, will surely make your family love it. Try making it and enjoy it with your family! Wishing you success with your own dish!
*Refer to images and recipes from the YouTube channel Delicious Food and Delicious Food Every Day.
