Name: Gỏi Ngó Sen (Vietnamese Lotus Stem Prawn Salad)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 cup Lotus Root, thinly sliced or julienned; 140 g Prawns, peeled and deveined; 100 g Pork Shoulder, thinly sliced; ½ Carrot, julienned; ¼ Onion, thinly sliced; ¼ cup Mint Leaves, roughly torn; ¼ cup Coriander Leaves, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp Peanuts, roasted and crushed; 1½ tbsp Fish Sauce; 1 Lemon, juiced; 1 tsp Sugar; 1 clove Garlic, minced; 1 Green Chili Pepper, finely chopped; to taste Salt

Gỏi Ngó Sen (Vietnamese Lotus Stem Prawn Salad)

35 mintotal

Prep 25 min · Cook 10 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

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Method

Blanch the lotus stem briefly in boiling water, then rinse under cold water so it stays crisp.
Poach the prawns until just opaque and firm, then cool and halve lengthwise.
Cook the pork slices in simmering water until fully cooked, then cool and slice into thin strips.
Whisk fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar, garlic, green chilli, and salt until the sugar dissolves.
Toss lotus stem, carrot, onion, prawns, pork, mint, and coriander with the dressing.
Finish with crushed roasted groundnuts just before serving.

How to tell it's done

The lotus stem should be crisp, the prawns firm, and the dressing bright, salty, sweet, and sour.

Getting it right

Tip

Blanch lotus stem only briefly; overcooking removes the fresh crunch that defines the salad.

What to serve it with

Serve chilled or at room temperature as a starter, light lunch, or side with rice.

Common mistakes

The lotus stem is soft rather than crisp.: Blanch it for well under a minute and refresh it immediately in cold water. Lotus stem loses its snap fast, and that snap is the whole point of a gỏi ngó sen.
The salad goes watery in the bowl.: Drain the blanched lotus stem thoroughly and dress at the table. Anything wet going into the bowl dilutes a dressing that depends on being sharp.

Substitutions

Use Raw Papaya only if Lotus Stem is unavailable, but the dish will become closer to a papaya salad.
Use only prawns and omit the pork for a seafood-forward version; expect a lighter filling with a more pronounced seafood flavor.
Omit Groundnuts for a peanut-free version; the dish will have less crunch and nuttiness.
Fish Sauce and Prawns require fish and shellfish allergen review.

Storing and reheating

Undressed, the components keep two days in the fridge in separate containers. Dressed, it is at its best within the hour. Peanuts go on at the table, never before.

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Ingredients