Octopus salad is a delightful and unique dish that is sure to impress your guests and leave them craving more. In this article, we’ll explore two mouth-watering variations of this Vietnamese delicacy: a spicy and sour octopus salad, and an intriguing octopus and green mango salad.

1. Spicy and Sour Octopus Salad


Preparation 30 minutes Cooking 30 minutes Serves 2 people

Ingredients for Spicy and Sour Octopus Salad

  • 400g octopus
  • 4 stalks lemongrass
  • 4 sour oranges
  • 1 sour sop
  • 40g peanuts
  • 25g ginger
  • 20g garlic
  • 5g lime leaves
  • Seasonings: salt, pepper, lime juice, fish sauce, vinegar

Tip: When buying octopus, choose those with clear and sparkling eyes, a smooth and shiny back, and a white belly. They should move swiftly and flexibly when touched.

Ingredients

Instructions for Spicy and Sour Octopus Salad

Step 1 Prepare the Ingredients

Octopus has a strong odor, so proper preparation is key. Remove the eyes, ink sac, and internal organs, then rinse thoroughly. Scrub the octopus with a mixture of salt, ginger, or vinegar to reduce the odor, and rinse again. Set it aside to dry.

For the lemongrass, pound 2 stalks and thinly slice the remaining 2. Finely chop the lime leaves, garlic, and horn pepper, and cut the ginger into thin strips.

Ingredient Preparation

Step 2 Steam the Octopus

In a steamer, place 400g of octopus with the pounded lemongrass and ginger strips. Steam for approximately 10 minutes until cooked.

Steaming the Octopus

Once cooled, cut the octopus into small, bite-sized pieces.

Cutting the Octopus

Step 3 Mix the Salad

Prepare the dressing by mixing 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of water, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of fish sauce until the sugar dissolves.

In a large bowl, combine the octopus, sliced ginger, garlic, horn pepper, lime leaves, sour orange, and fish sauce mixture. Toss well to ensure the octopus absorbs all the flavors.

Mixing the Salad

Step 4 Final Touches and Serving

Arrange the salad on a plate and enjoy! This spicy and sour octopus salad is a flavor explosion with its tangy and spicy notes, complemented by the crisp and fragrant octopus.

Final Product

2. Octopus and Green Mango Salad


Preparation 25 minutes Cooking 40 minutes Serves 2 people

Ingredients for Octopus and Green Mango Salad

  • 300g octopus
  • 500g green mango
  • 40g shallots
  • 100g carrots
  • 20g cilantro
  • 8g mint
  • 1 stalk lemongrass
  • 1 chili pepper
  • 1 lime
  • A few sprigs of dill
  • Seasonings: salt, fish sauce, sugar

Ingredients

Instructions for Octopus and Green Mango Salad

Step 1 Prepare the Vegetables for the Salad

Peel and thinly slice the shallots. Peel and slice the carrots and green mango into thin strips, aiming for a thickness that is just right.

Tip: For a perfect texture, neither too thin nor too thick.

Toss the sliced carrots with 1/2 tablespoon of salt and let them sit for 15 minutes. Rinse and then soak the mango and carrots in iced water for 10 minutes to give them a crisp texture. Drain and set aside.

Cut the chili pepper into thin slices, halve the lime, and chop the dill.

Ingredient Preparation

Step 2 Steam the Octopus

Clean and cut the lemongrass into 3 sections, then pound lightly. Slice the ginger into thin strips. Place the octopus, lemongrass, and ginger in a steamer and cook for about 15 minutes over high heat. Turn off the heat when the octopus is cooked.

Once done, remove the octopus and cut it into bite-sized pieces.

Steaming the Octopus

Step 3 Prepare the Dressing and Toppings

Mix 3 tablespoons each of sugar and fish sauce with half a lime’s juice. Add the sliced chili pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and fry the shallots with a pinch of salt until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Preparing the Dressing and Toppings

Step 4 Mix the Salad

In a large bowl, combine the octopus, green mango, carrots, cilantro, mint, fried shallots, and dressing. Toss well to mix all the flavors and textures.

Mixing the Salad

Step 5 Final Touches and Serving

Let the salad sit for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Then, dig in! This octopus and green mango salad is a delightful combination of chewy octopus, crisp vegetables, and a tangy, spicy dressing. It pairs exceptionally well with prawn crackers.

Final Product

With these two delicious octopus salad variations, you’re sure to impress your guests and family. Enjoy!

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Frequently asked questions

Octopus salad is a unique and delightful dish that is sure to impress your guests. It is a Vietnamese delicacy that combines the flavors of octopus with either a spicy and sour sauce or a combination of green mango and other fresh ingredients.

In this article, we explore two mouth-watering variations of octopus salad: a spicy and sour version, and an intriguing octopus and green mango salad.

For this variation, you will need 400g octopus, 4 stalks of lemongrass, 4 sour oranges, 1 soursop, 40g peanuts, 25g ginger, 20g garlic, 5g lime leaves, and seasonings such as salt, pepper, lime juice, fish sauce, and vinegar.

Proper preparation of the octopus is key to reducing its strong odor. Remove the eyes, ink sac, and internal organs, then rinse thoroughly. Scrub the octopus with a mixture of salt, ginger, or vinegar, and then rinse again. Finally, set it aside to dry before cutting it into small, bite-sized pieces.

First, prepare the ingredients as mentioned above. Then, steam the octopus with pounded lemongrass and ginger for about 10 minutes. Mix the dressing by combining sugar, water, lime juice, and fish sauce. In a large bowl, toss the octopus with the dressing and other ingredients such as sliced ginger, garlic, horn pepper, lime leaves, and sour orange. Serve and enjoy the flavor explosion!

For this refreshing variation, you will need 300g octopus, 500g green mango, 40g shallots, 100g carrots, 20g cilantro, 8g mint, 1 stalk of lemongrass, 1 chili pepper, 1 lime, dill, and seasonings like salt, fish sauce, and sugar.

Peel and thinly slice the shallots. Peel and slice the carrots and green mango into thin, crisp strips. Toss the carrots with salt and let them sit, then rinse and soak them in iced water for a perfect texture. Don’t forget to cut the chili pepper, chop the dill, and prepare the lime as well.

First, steam the octopus with lemongrass and ginger. Cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces. Prepare the dressing by mixing sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and sliced chili pepper. Fry the shallots with a pinch of salt until golden. In a large bowl, combine the octopus, green mango, carrots, herbs, fried shallots, and dressing. Toss well and let the flavors meld before serving.

Both variations of the octopus salad are sure to impress your guests. The spicy and sour octopus salad is a flavor explosion, while the octopus and green mango salad offers a delightful combination of chewy octopus, crisp vegetables, and a tangy dressing. Enjoy them as a unique appetizer or side dish, and don’t forget to pair the second variation with prawn crackers!
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