How to Make Vietnamese Lotus Stem Salad with Shrimp and Pork

Prepare the Lotus Stems

Trim both ends of the lotus stems.

To keep the lotus stems clean, white, and crispy after cutting, prepare a bowl of water mixed with a pinch of salt and some vinegar.

If the lotus stems haven't been pre-processed and still have dark spots, scrape off the outer membrane to clean them. Cut the stems into 6-7 cm sections and then split them in half. Soak them in the salt and vinegar water.

After soaking for about 10 minutes, rinse the lotus stems thoroughly. Then, prepare another bowl of water mixed with sugar, vinegar, and some ice. Soak the lotus stems in this mixture to keep them white, crispy, and refreshingly cool.

Prepare the Other Ingredients

Rinse the pork belly with diluted salt water, then boil it. To enhance the flavor, add a little shallot to the boiling water.

Boil 250g of pork for about 18 minutes. After cooking, let the pork rest in the pot for 5-10 minutes, then remove it.

You can soak the cooked pork in ice water with a bit of lemon juice to firm it up and whiten it. Once the pork is fully cooled, slice it thinly into small, bite-sized pieces.

Rub the shrimp with salt, then rinse, remove the heads, and devein. Rinse the shrimp again and drain.

If you have some ginger and lemongrass, you can add them while steaming the shrimp for added aroma. Steam the shrimp for about 6 minutes.

Once cooked, transfer the shrimp to a plate, let them cool, then peel. You may leave the tail on for presentation.

For the salad, thinly slice the onion and carrot. Half of the chili pepper should be cut into thin strips, and the other half sliced diagonally.

Pick and wash the herbs, then roughly chop them.

Roast the peanuts until golden, remove the skins, and roughly crush them. Fry the shrimp crackers and let them drain to remove excess oil.

Make the Lotus Stem Salad Dressing

There are many ways to make lotus stem salad dressing, but Cookbeo's method offers a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors.

• Grind 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a mortar.
• Add 1-2 cloves of minced garlic and chili to the mortar and crush them together.
• Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce.
• Add 3.5 tablespoons of sugar.
• Add 4 tablespoons of vinegar.
• Add 1 tablespoon of lime juice.

Mix these ingredients well to create a dressing that is perfectly balanced with sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors.

Additionally, you can prepare a sweet and sour dipping sauce to serve alongside the salad using the following recipe:

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce
• 1.5 tablespoons lime juice
• 3.5 tablespoons water

Assemble the Lotus Stem Salad

In a large bowl, combine the lotus stems, onions, and carrots. Pour half of the salad dressing over the ingredients and toss gently for 2-3 minutes to let the flavors absorb, then drain the excess liquid.

Next, add the shrimp and pork, along with most of the herbs and chili strips. Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and gently toss everything together. Drain any excess liquid again.

Finally, add most of the crushed peanuts, give it a final toss, and transfer the salad to a serving plate. Sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top.

Serve with shrimp crackers on the side for a complete presentation. Enjoy with the sweet and sour dipping sauce to enhance the flavors.

Enjoy making this delightful salad!