4 Simple Ways to Make Delicious, Rustic Water Spinach Salad

Prepare the water spinach

After buying, pick the young tops of the water spinach, discarding the tough old stems so that it is the crunchiest when eaten. If the tops are too long, they can be broken into 2-3 parts to make it easier to eat.

Boiled Water Spinach

Prepare a large pot of boiling water, the larger the better, to avoid overcrowding the spinach when boiling, which will cause it to become mushy. Then, add 1 teaspoon of salt (to prevent the spinach from turning dark) and blanch the water spinach for about 30 seconds to 1 minute before immediately placing it in an ice water bath.

Soak the water spinach in ice water for about 10 – 15 minutes, then remove it to a colander to drain, and prepare to make the salad. The drier the water spinach, the better; when making the salad, it will not become wilted. You can use chopsticks to gently toss the spinach several times to help the water drip out effectively.

Roasted Peanuts

Place a large pan or pot on the stove to heat. Then, add coarse salt to dry roast and pour in 50 grams of peanuts, stirring continuously. The coarse salt is added at this stage to limit the peanuts’ contact with the bottom of the pan or pot, which can cause them to burn quickly.

When the outer shell of the peanuts turns a deep brown, test one to see if it’s crunchy and cooked, then turn off the heat, wait for it to cool, and proceed to remove the shell and crush them. Depending on your preference and that of your family, you can crush the peanuts until you reach the desired size before stopping.

Mixing sauce and making water spinach salad

Peel the garlic and crush it, then chop it finely. Wash the chili, slice it lengthwise, and remove the seeds (as they are both spicy and not good for the intestines), then chop it finely as well. Wash the lime, cut it in half, squeeze out the juice, and discard the seeds.

Combine 3 tablespoons of water, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, and the juice of 1 lime in a bowl and stir well until the sugar dissolves completely.

Add more seasoning to taste until the mixture has the right balance of sour, salty, and sweet, then stop. At this point, add the crushed garlic and chili and mix well.

Final product

Place the water spinach on a large plate and evenly drizzle the fish sauce mixture on top, then mix well. Finally, add the roasted peanuts and mix once more before serving the dish for everyone to enjoy the delicious flavor of the salad.

Prepare the Ingredients

Prepare the water spinach, peanuts, garlic, chili, and mix the fish sauce, just as described in the simple water spinach salad recipe.

For the herbs, pick the tips and fresh leaves, wash them thoroughly, let them drain, and then chop finely.

Prepare the Shrimp and Marinate with Spices

The fresher the shrimp, the better the dish will taste. If the shrimp are large, remove the heads; if they are small, you can leave them whole, then wash thoroughly.

Sautéed shrimp and making dipping sauce for the salad

Then add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce to marinate for about 5 – 10 minutes to evenly absorb the seasoning and then put it on the stove to sauté with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Stir evenly until the color of the shrimp turns light pink, check if it’s cooked, then turn off the heat.

Making the salad dressing: Mix the sugar with lime juice until dissolved, gradually add the fish sauce while stirring, then slowly add a little monosodium glutamate, and add minced garlic and chili, then stir well.

Final product

Put the drained water spinach into a large bowl, add the sautéed shrimp and half of the herbs, then gradually add the fish sauce mixture and mix well.

Once seasoned to taste, serve the dish on a plate and sprinkle the remaining herbs and crushed roasted peanuts on top, then invite everyone to enjoy.

Prepare the Water Spinach and Salad First

All the ingredients including water spinach, peanuts, chili, garlic, lemon, and the preparation of the fish sauce mixture should be done similarly to the method described in the water spinach salad above.

Preparing beef

Beef for making salad should be prepared by: using a piece of ginger, roasting it, scraping off the burnt skin, pounding it finely, and then rubbing it evenly onto the meat. The ginger scent will effectively eliminate the characteristic smell of beef.

Then, proceed to slice the beef into thin pieces so that the meat does not crumble and remains tender when eaten. Observe the piece of beef; if you see straight lines running parallel to each other, use the knife to cut perpendicular to those lines, which is the way to slice meat against the grain.

Boiling meat

Prepare a pot of hot water, add the sliced beef into the pot to boil until cooked, then remove it and let it drain. Depending on your and your family’s preference, you can boil the beef thoroughly or briefly blanch it.

Final product

Combine the water spinach and beef in a large bowl, then drizzle the mixture of fish sauce on top and mix well to complete the dish. When serving on a plate for everyone to enjoy, remember to sprinkle some roasted peanuts on top to enhance the richness of the dish.

Prepare the ingredients

For the dried shrimp you bought, put them in a bowl and soak in warm water between 60 – 80 degrees Celsius for about 30 minutes until the dried shrimp soften, then remove the shrimp and rinse them once with clean water.

For the water spinach, remove the leaves and cut them into small pieces about 3 finger lengths, then rinse them twice with water and set aside to drain.

Next, bring a pot of 500ml water to a boil, add 1/5 teaspoon of salt when the water is gently boiling, and continue to cook until the water boils vigorously, then add the water spinach.

Blanch for about 2 minutes until the water spinach is cooked, then remove it and place it in a bowl of cold water to soak for about 3 minutes to keep the water spinach crisp and maintain its beautiful green color for the dish.

Cilantro, Vietnamese mint, and basil should be cleaned by removing any damaged leaves, then rinsed thoroughly with water and cut into small, bite-sized pieces.

Make the dressing

To make the dressing, you add in order to a bowl: 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, then use a spoon to stir until the ingredients dissolve completely. Then add chili and half of the minced garlic. Mix well to finish.

Sauté the dried shrimp

Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and the remaining half of the minced garlic to a pan, stir-fry until the garlic is fragrant, then add the cleaned dried shrimp.

Sauté and stir well over medium heat for about 2 minutes until the dried shrimp are just cooked and infused with the garlic aroma, then add 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce and 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder. Stir well for another 2 minutes until the dried shrimp are cooked and infused with the seasoning.

Mix the salad

Gradually add to the bowl: the soaked water spinach, the stir-fried dried shrimp, coriander, Vietnamese mint, basil along with the prepared dressing and 1/2 tablespoon of roasted peanuts.

Mix well until the ingredients are combined, then it’s done. Serve on a plate and enjoy!

Final Product

The finished dish of water spinach salad with dried shrimp will have the vibrant green color of the water spinach intertwined with the orange-red color of the dried shrimp, creating an attractive appearance.

When eaten, you will experience the crunchiness of the water spinach combined with the just right flavor of the stir-fried dried shrimp. The dressing has a deliciously appealing combination of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors. It is wonderful and flavorful when eaten with white rice or added to porridge as a side dish.