-
Preparation
10 minutes
-
Processing
5 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Sea grapes are a type of seaweed originating from Japan, often used to eat raw or mixed with sauces and seafood to create delicious, nutritious mixed salads. Today, let’s join TasteVN in the kitchen and make this fresh sea grape salad with shrimp!
Ingredients for Fresh Sea Grape Salad with Shrimp Serves 1 person
Large shrimp 6 pieces (or to taste) Lettuce 1 head Tomato 2 fruits Sea grapes, drained 100 gr Garlic 2 cloves Oyster sauce 1 tablespoon Roasted sesame dressing 1 tablespoon Cooking oil 2 tablespoons Common spices a little (seasoning powder/ monosodium glutamate/ pepper/ salt)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh sea grapes
- You can buy fresh sea grapes or dehydrated sea grapes (dried sea grapes) as mentioned in the article at supermarkets or reputable stores.
- Currently, a 500g box of dehydrated sea grapes on the market is priced from 300,000 VND to 650,000 VND (price updated on May 2, 2021).
- When buying dried sea grapes, you should choose those with a brand in the market, packaged carefully in sturdy bags and boxes.
- For fresh sea grapes, you should choose those just harvested from sea grape farms in Hon Khoi, Khanh Hoa, Dong Ha, and Hai Ninh. Since fresh sea grapes only last from 3 to 5 days, you should process them immediately after purchase!
How to choose fresh shrimp
- You should choose shrimp with a translucent outer shell that still has a slight sea smell, the head and body of the shrimp are tightly connected, and the shell joints on the shrimp’s body are flexible and not separated.
- Additionally, when buying, you can press and gently move your hand on the shrimp shell to check for freshness. If you feel a grainy texture inside when moving or the shrimp is slimy, do not buy it!
- Do not choose shrimp with spread-out tails and upright, round bodies, as these shrimp may have been injected with chemicals or water to make them plump.
- Currently, you can easily buy shrimp at markets, supermarkets, or reputable seafood stores.
How to choose fresh and delicious lettuce
- You can use any type of lettuce you like: Carol, butter lettuce, or romaine lettuce,… to make this dish.
- When buying lettuce, you should choose heads that have vibrant green leaves, and when tightly rolled, they emit a light fragrance, with long and thick stems.
- Additionally, clean lettuce (not treated with chemicals) usually has green leaves on the outside, while the inner layers are pale green, gradually fading.
- Avoid purchasing lettuce with wilted leaves, where the stems begin to turn yellow and emit a slight unpleasant odor, as these are either old or may have been treated with chemicals that are decaying.
How to choose fresh and delicious tomatoes
- Choose tomatoes with bright red, evenly colored skin. The skin should be intact, without scratches, and plump, feeling firm when held.
- Additionally, freshly picked tomatoes will have a fresh stem that is firmly attached to the fruit and not easily detached. Naturally ripe tomatoes will have a gentle fragrance that is easily noticeable when sniffed.
- Avoid buying tomatoes that have a strong or no scent, with skins showing slight wrinkles. These are tomatoes that have been artificially ripened and are beginning to spoil, making them not sweet and tasty anymore.
How to Make Sea Grapes Salad with Fresh Shrimp
-
Prepare the Ingredients
Pick the lettuce leaves, then soak them in saltwater for about 2 minutes, then take them out, rinse them under running water, and tear them into small pieces about 2 finger lengths long.
Wash the tomatoes and cut them into wedges. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
Soak the sea grapes you bought in water for about 1 minute to puff them up, then rinse them several times in water to reduce the saltiness of the sea grapes.
Tip: Because sea grapes lose their water quickly, to enjoy their juiciness and flavor, make sure to soak them about 5 minutes before eating!
-
Boil the Shrimp
Wash the shrimp you bought, then boil 500ml of water, add the shrimp, and boil for about 2 minutes until the shrimp shells turn uniformly red, then turn off the heat. Remove the shrimp, place them in a bowl of ice water, and soak for about 5 minutes to make the shrimp meat crisp and delicious before peeling.
-
Make garlic shrimp sauce
First, add 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper into a bowl, mix well to combine the spices.
Then, heat a pan on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and minced garlic, stir-fry until the garlic is fragrant, then add the peeled shrimp along with the mixed seasoning sauce.
Quickly stir-fry over medium heat for about 2 – 3 minutes to coat the shrimp evenly with the seasoning, then turn off the heat.
-
Mixing the salad
First, add lettuce, diced tomatoes, and 1 tablespoon of roasted sesame dressing into a bowl, and mix well so that the tomatoes and lettuce absorb and coat evenly with the dressing.
Next, layer the lettuce, tomatoes, and shrimp on a plate, then drizzle a little garlic dressing left in the pan over the shrimp, and add the soaked seaweed to complete the dish.
Tip:- To prevent the vegetables from wilting and the seaweed from collapsing, wait for the shrimp and garlic dressing to cool down before drizzling it on.
- To fully enjoy the fresh taste of the dish, you should mix and eat immediately, as the seaweed will collapse and lose its crispiness if left too long.
-
Final product
The seaweed salad with fresh shrimp, once completed, will have an appealing color. When eaten, you can feel the crunchiness of the seaweed combined with the rich, fragrant flavor of the dressing and the savory taste of the garlic shrimp. All these flavors blend together to create a wonderful salad with a unique taste.
See more:
I hope with the above instructions you can successfully make this seaweed salad with fresh shrimp and enjoy it to regain energy after a hard day at work!
*Source reference for the recipe and images shared from Facebook: Nguyễn Tám.
