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Restaurants›Vietnamese Street Kitchen›King Prawn Salad Recipe

King Prawn Salad Recipe

Name: Vietnamese Street Kitchens King Prawn Salad Recipe
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 cups mango or green papaya (shredded); 0.5 cups carrot (julienned, optional); 0.5 cups cucumber (julienned); 12 pieces king prawns (raw, peeled, deveined, tails optional); 1.5 l water; 1 tsp salt (for poaching water); 2 cups ice; 0.5 cups fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves, coarsely chopped; 0.25 cups fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped; 2 stalks spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced; 1 piece fresh Thai bird chilies or red chili, thinly sliced; 0.5 cups roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped; 0.25 cups fried shallots or crispy onions (optional); 3 pieces fresh lime wedges; 3 tbs fish sauce; 3 tbs fresh lime juice; 1.5 tbs palm sugar or light brown sugar (dissolved); 1 clove garlic (minced); 0.5 tsp fresh ginger (minced); 1 tbs rice vinegar; 2 tsp neutral oil (e.g., canola or grapeseed); 0 to taste chili flakes or thin sliced fresh chili (to taste); 0 to taste sea salt; 0 to taste freshly ground black pepper

Inspired by Vietnamese Street Kitchen

Time30m

Serves2

Blanched king prawns, fresh herbs, crunchy salad, peanuts, house dressing. Base: zesty mango or green papaya.

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Ingredients

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Salad base

2 cups mango or green papaya (shredded)

1/2 cups carrot (julienned, optional)

1/2 cups cucumber (julienned)

Prawns & blanching

12 pieces king prawns (raw, peeled, deveined, tails optional)

6 1/3 cup (1.5 l) water

1 tsp salt (for poaching water)

2 cups ice

Herbs & aromatics

1/2 cups fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves, coarsely chopped

1/4 cups fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped

2 stalks spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced

1 piece fresh Thai bird chilies or red chili, thinly sliced

Crunch & topping

1/2 cups roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1/4 cups fried shallots or crispy onions (optional)

3 pieces fresh lime wedges

House dressing

3 tbs Fish sauce

3 tbs Fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tbs palm sugar or light brown sugar (dissolved)

1 clove Garlic (minced)

1/2 tsp fresh ginger (minced)

1 tbs Rice vinegar

2 tsp neutral oil (e.g., canola or grapeseed)

0 to taste chili flakes or thin sliced fresh chili (to taste)

Finishing & seasoning

0 to taste sea salt

0 to taste freshly ground black pepper

Method

Salad base

If using green papaya: peel, halve lengthwise, remove seeds and use a mandoline or shredder to make thin, long shreds. If using mango: choose a firm ripe mango, peel and julienne into thin strips. Combine shredded mango or papaya, julienned carrot and cucumber in a large mixing bowl. Chill in refrigerator while preparing other components so they stay crisp.

Prawns & blanching

Prepare blanching liquid

Bring 1.5 liters of water to a rolling boil in a medium pot. Add 1 tsp salt.

Blanch prawns

Add king prawns to the boiling water, stir gently to separate and cook until just opaque and pink, about 1–2 minutes depending on size. Do not overcook. Remove prawns with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer them to an ice bath (2 cups ice + cold water) to stop cooking. Once cooled, drain and pat dry with paper towels.

House dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine 3 tbsp fish sauce, 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, 1.5 tbsp palm or light brown sugar, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger and 2 tsp neutral oil. Whisk or shake until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust balance — add more lime for acidity, more sugar for sweetness or more fish sauce for saltiness. Stir in chili flakes or sliced fresh chili to desired heat.

Herbs & aromatics

Toss chopped cilantro, mint, sliced spring onions and thinly sliced chilies together and reserve a small amount (about 1 tbsp) of herbs for garnish.

Crunch & topping

Coarsely chop roasted peanuts and set aside. If using fried shallots or crispy onions, have them ready to sprinkle on top for extra crunch.

Assembly & finishing

Combine the chilled shredded mango/papaya mixture with most of the herb mixture (reserve some for garnish) in the large bowl. Pour about two-thirds of the house dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Taste and add more dressing if needed.

Fold the cooled prawns gently into the dressed salad, reserving a few whole prawns for garnish if desired.

Transfer salad to a serving platter or divide among plates. Scatter chopped peanuts and fried shallots over the top, garnish with the reserved herb sprigs and additional sliced chilies if desired. Serve with lime wedges on the side for extra acidity. Finish with a light grind of black pepper and salt to taste.