Spicy Mixed Seafood Salad Recipe

Prepare and cook seafood

Rinse all seafood under cold water. Pat prawns, squid rings, and scallops dry. If mussels are not pre-cooked, steam them in a covered pot with 1/2 cup water for 4–6 minutes until shells open; discard any unopened shells and remove meat from shells. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add prawns and cook 1–2 minutes until they turn pink and opaque; remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. In the same boiling water, blanch squid rings 30–45 seconds until just opaque and tender; transfer to the ice bath. Quickly poach scallops 30–45 seconds per side (do not overcook) or sear in a hot skillet 45–60 seconds per side until lightly golden and just cooked through. Drain all seafood and pat dry. Cut large prawns and scallops to bite-size pieces so all seafood is roughly uniform.

Return cooked seafood to the refrigerator to chill while you prepare vegetables and dressing so the salad is served lukewarm or chilled (about 10–15 minutes).

Prep vegetables

Thinly slice the red onion and place in a small bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to take away raw edge, then drain and pat dry. Finely mince ginger. Thinly slice celery, dice red bell pepper, seed and dice tomatoes, and seed and dice cucumber. Roughly chop cilantro and mint (if using). Combine all prepared vegetables and herbs in a large mixing bowl.

Make dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, chili powder, smoked paprika (if using), sea salt, black pepper, honey (if using), and fish sauce or soy sauce (if using). Taste and adjust: add more lime for brightness, more chili powder for heat, or a pinch more salt if needed.

Assemble salad: add the chilled, drained seafood to the bowl with the prepared vegetables. Pour the dressing over the seafood and vegetables. Gently toss to combine so dressing coats all components. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, lime juice, or chili powder to preference.

Let salad rest 5–10 minutes for flavors to marry. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature, garnished with extra cilantro and a lime wedge. Serve on a bed of lettuce or with crusty bread or tortilla chips, if desired.