Preparation
15 minutes
Cooking
15 minutes
Difficulty
Easy
It’s hard to erase the enchanting taste, stimulating the taste buds of mixed salad. But if you’re still wondering what to serve everyone, don’t worry too much, TasteVN has an unusual recipe for crispy water spinach salad with seafood! Let’s get started in the kitchen!
Ingredients for Crispy Water Spinach Salad with Seafood Serves 3 people
Water spinach 300 gr Shrimp 150 gr Squid 150 gr Green mango 100 gr (1 fruit) Carrot 150 gr (2 pieces) Lime 1/2 fruit Minced garlic 1 teaspoon Minced chili 1 teaspoon Crispy frying flour 150 gr (1 package) Fish sauce 2 teaspoons Common seasoning a little (Salt/Sugar/Monosodium glutamate) Cooking oil 150 ml
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh water spinach
- Fresh water spinach are those with small tops, not too large, and look sturdy.
- Avoid buying water spinach that looks too vibrant green, feels too brittle when broken, and has very dark green leaves, as it could be chemically fertilized, which is not healthy.
- Typically, around April to June is the right season for water spinach, so it will be fresh and green, especially naturally grown, which is healthier.
How to choose fresh and delicious shrimp
- Fresh and delicious shrimp will have a transparent shell; on the contrary, those with dark or unevenly colored shells are signs that the shrimp have died and are no longer tasty.
- You should buy shrimp that feel firm and strong when picked up, can jump far, indicating they are fresh, with flexible shell joints, and the head and body of the shrimp are tightly attached to each other, not separated.
- Additionally, you can recognize fresh shrimp by looking at the tail; they will be neatly arranged together, but if the tail is spread out, the shrimp may have been injected with chemicals or water to make them appear fatter.
- Especially, if they feel slimy to the touch, have a round, bent shape, the legs are no longer firmly attached to the body, and pressing on the shrimp shell feels soft and mushy, then absolutely do not buy.
How to choose fresh and delicious squid
- You should choose squid with bright, shiny eyes, transparent, clearly showing the pupil, not cloudy or gradually turning yellow and bulging out. Additionally, observe that the body of the squid is also milky white.
- When touched, the body feels firm and has good elasticity like rubber. At the same time, a gentle press creates a dent but immediately returns to its original state.
- Moreover, fresh and delicious squid will have tentacles tightly attached and very firm. Additionally, avoid buying squid with legs that are soft and separated, as that indicates they have been stored too long and will not taste good.
How to choose delicious green mangoes
- A delicious green mango will have a round waist that tapers towards the tail. Additionally, the outer skin should have a moderate green color, neither too dark nor too light.
- Moreover, the stem should look intact, slightly moist, fresh, and especially if there is still sap, that is a sign that the mango is fresh and just picked.
- When pressed, it should feel firm, not soft, as these are fruits that have been left too long or are gradually transitioning to the overripe stage, which will not be crispy and tasty when making salads.
How to choose fresh and delicious carrots
- Fresh and delicious carrots have a moderate size, not too large or too small, with a slender shape, smooth skin, and no unusual small blemishes on the surface.
- Additionally, choose carrots with bright, deep orange color, fresh green tops, not bruised or wilted, and firmly attached to the root without separation. At the same time, when held, they should feel solid and slightly firm.
- Avoid buying carrots with overly bruised and wilted tops, especially if the stems are slimy and exuding liquid, or if they feel soft and mushy when pressed, as these are carrots that have been stored too long and are no longer usable.
How to prepare Crispy Water Spinach Salad with Seafood
-
Prepare the vegetables (water spinach, carrot, mango)
First, the water spinach should be bought, then remove all leaves and only keep the tender stems, then soak in diluted salt water for 5 minutes, rinse with clean water several times, drain, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
For the carrot and mango, use a peeler to peel, then wash with clean water, and let drain. Finally, proceed to shred them.
-
Prepare the shrimp and squid
For squid, separate the head from the body. Then, for the head, squeeze out the middle teeth and the ink sac, and for the body, remove the backbone.
Next, wash the squid with the juice of 1/2 lemon and 1 teaspoon of salt for 3 – 5 minutes, then rinse with clean water several times, drain, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
How to eliminate the fishy smell of squid:- Method 1: Blanch the squid with boiling tea water for 5 – 7 minutes, the fishy smell will disappear immediately.
- Method 2: Marinate the squid with sesame oil or a little bit of alcohol to both reduce the fishy smell and enhance the flavor of the dish.
See details: How to properly prepare squid
For shrimp, clean them, use scissors or a small knife to slide into the back of the shrimp, then make a vertical cut extending to the back and peel off the shell, while also removing the shrimp’s intestines.
Quick way to remove shrimp intestines- Method 1: First, turn the shrimp upside down, gently bend the head upwards, and squeeze lightly to push the dirty part of the shrimp out. Next, just grab that dirty part to pull the intestines out.
- Method 2: You can also turn the shrimp over, then peel the sides of the shrimp head and hold firmly the connection between the body and head, gently pull it out and the shrimp intestines will also be pulled out.
-
Make the dressing
Prepare 1 bowl along with 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate, and 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, using a spoon to stir well until the mixture is dissolved.
Finally, add 1 teaspoon of chopped chili and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic.
-
Mix carrots and mango
Take a bowl and add all the shredded green mango and carrot along with 1/2 cup of the salad dressing, using chopsticks to mix well so that everything absorbs the seasoning evenly for 10 – 15 minutes.
-
Frying the ingredients
Next, prepare another bowl, add 1 packet of crispy frying flour and 100ml of water, and stir evenly in a certain direction so that the flour does not clump. When the flour is smooth and thick, it is ready.
At the same time, place the pan on the stove with 150ml of cooking oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, gradually add the water spinach, shrimp, and squid that have been coated with flour, frying for 5 – 7 minutes until the ingredients are golden brown on both sides, then remove to a plate to drain the oil.
Tip: To avoid the batter becoming too watery, you should add water gradually and not all at once. -
Completion
After preparing all the ingredients, take another plate and gradually add the carrots, mango that have been mixed with spices, along with all the fried water spinach, shrimp, and squid to complete!
-
Final Product
The crispy seaweed salad is indeed a dish that, while simple, is wonderfully delicious!
Green mango and carrot are crunchy and flavorful, combined with fresh water spinach, and the firm, crispy shrimp and squid create an interesting and unique flavor, all blended with the rich dressing to make an irresistible dish.
To fully enjoy the flavor of the dish, you can dip it with the remaining dressing to experience even more richness of the dish!
So, the article above has just introduced everyone to how to make crispy fried water spinach salad with seafood which is not only delicious and attractive but also very easy to make. Hope you will be very successful with the above recipe!
