Ingredients:
– 9 oz. pig ears, sliced thinly
– 9 oz. shredded green mango
– 2/3 medium onion, sliced thinly
– 1.5 tsp. seasoning powder; 4 tsp. sugar; 1 small lemon; 2-3 red chilies, chopped; 6-7 garlic cloves, minced
– Crushed roasted peanuts; chopped basil and coriander
Instructions:
Combine the pig ears, mango, and onion in a bowl.
Add the seasoning powder and sugar, mixing well. Then, add the lemon juice and mix again.
Toss in the garlic, chilies, and crushed peanuts, giving it another good mix. Finally, add the chopped herbs and give it a final stir. Serve this refreshing salad on a plate and enjoy!

2. BEEF AND BASIL SALAD
Ingredients:
– 7 oz. basil
– 5.3 oz. tender beef
– 1 small white onion, 1/2 carrot, garlic, chilies, lemon.
– Seasonings: Cooking oil, fish sauce, salt, sugar, pepper, oyster sauce.
Instructions:
Clean the basil, removing any old leaves and roots. Soak it in a brine solution for about 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Slice the carrot into thin strips. Thinly slice the white onion. Slice the chilies.
Rinse the beef and cut it into thin slices. Marinate it with some crushed garlic, pepper, and oyster sauce for about 10 minutes.
In a bowl, combine 1/3 cup of vinegar with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Add the sliced onion and let it soak for about 5 minutes to reduce its pungency.
Heat some cooking oil in a pan. Fry the garlic and onion until fragrant, then remove and set aside. Using the same oil, quickly stir-fry the marinated beef. Once cooked, turn off the heat and transfer the beef to a plate to cool down.
Prepare the dressing by mixing the juice of half a lemon with 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, some crushed garlic, and sliced chilies. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
In a large bowl, combine the basil, carrot, and white onion. Add about two-thirds of the dressing and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then, add the beef and the remaining dressing, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
Garnish with some fried garlic and onion. Serve this refreshing beef and basil salad with crispy shrimp crackers.
Good luck preparing this delicious and refreshing dish for your family!
3. SHREDDED GREEN PAPAYA AND PRAWN SALAD
Ingredients:
– 1 green papaya (choose a fresh, juicy, and tangy-sweet papaya)
– 3.5 oz. pork belly, 5.3 oz. prawns.
– 1 carrot, 1 cucumber
– 1 oz. sesame seeds
– Coriander, mint, garlic, chilies, lemon.
– Fish sauce, sugar.
Instructions:
Rinse the pork belly and boil it until cooked. Then, slice it thinly. Add a pinch of salt while boiling to enhance the flavor. Clean the prawns, trim their whiskers, boil, and peel, leaving the tails intact for presentation.
Wash the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, and slice it diagonally. Peel and thinly slice the carrot. Rinse the coriander and mint, removing the roots and old stems. Soak them in a brine solution for about 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Toast the sesame seeds. Peel and mince the garlic. Slice the chilies.
Peel the papaya, then separate the flesh from the skin. Cut the papaya into thin strips. To make the dressing, mix 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, 3 teaspoons of sugar, and half a teaspoon of lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning according to your taste and the sourness of the papaya.
In a large bowl, combine the papaya, carrot, and cucumber. Gradually add about two-thirds of the dressing and let it marinate for about 5 minutes. Then, add the prawns, pork, and the remaining dressing, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
Garnish with some chopped coriander, mint, and half of the toasted sesame seeds. Serve this delicious papaya salad in the papaya skin for an attractive presentation.
People from Lai Vung, Dong Thap, often add a few young papaya leaves, finely chopped, for a unique, slightly pungent flavor.
4. JICAMA AND PRAWN SALAD
Ingredients:
– 9 oz. jicama
– 3.5 oz. pork belly, 5.3 oz. prawns.
– 1 cucumber, 1 carrot, coriander, mint.
1.7 oz. peanuts, 2-3 small garlic cloves, 3-4 shallots.
– Seasonings: Fish sauce, salt, sugar, chilies, cooking oil.
Instructions:
Choose the tender part of the jicama, discarding the tough outer layer. Slice it thinly and soak it in cold water. Then, rinse and drain it.
Rinse the pork belly and boil it until cooked. Then, slice it thinly. Add a pinch of salt while boiling for better flavor. Clean the prawns, trim their whiskers, boil, and peel, leaving the tails intact.
Wash the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, and slice it diagonally. Peel and thinly slice the carrot. Rinse the coriander and mint, removing the roots and old stems. Soak them in a brine solution for about 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Roast and peel the peanuts, then crush them. Peel and mince the garlic. Slice the shallots and fry them until crispy.
To make the dressing, mix 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, 3 teaspoons of sugar, and 1.5 teaspoons of lemon juice with crushed garlic and sliced chilies. Adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
In a large bowl, combine the jicama, carrot, and cucumber. Gradually add about two-thirds of the dressing and let it marinate for about 5 minutes. Then, add the prawns, pork, and the remaining dressing, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
Garnish with some chopped coriander, mint, and two-thirds of the crushed peanuts. Serve this delicious jicama salad with crispy shrimp crackers and a side of sweet and sour fish sauce.
5. BEEF AND SPINACH SALAD WITH TAMARIND DRESSING
Ingredients:
– 1 bunch of spinach
– 7 oz. beef
– 1 small block of tamarind
– 1 oz. peanuts
– Mint, garlic, chilies
– Seasonings: Fish sauce, sugar, salt, cooking oil, seasoning powder, oyster sauce, pepper.
Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare the ingredients
– Pick the tender tips of the spinach, discarding the old leaves and stems. Soak it in brine for about 30 minutes, then rinse and drain.
– Peel and crush the garlic. Slice the chilies. Soak the tamarind in warm water to soften, then strain it to extract the juice.
– Rinse and chop the mint. Roast and crush the peanuts.
– Rinse the beef and slice it thinly.
Step 2: Marinate the beef
Marinate the beef with half of the crushed garlic, oyster sauce, seasoning powder, and a pinch of pepper for about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Make the tamarind dressing
In a bowl, mix 2 teaspoons of tamarind juice, 2 teaspoons of fish sauce, and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Heat a pan and add half a teaspoon of cooking oil. Fry the remaining crushed garlic until fragrant, then add the tamarind mixture and simmer until it thickens slightly. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
Note: You can skip the frying step and directly mix the tamarind, fish sauce, and sugar. However, frying adds a nice aroma to the dressing.
Step 4: Assemble the salad
Heat half a teaspoon of cooking oil in the pan. Stir-fry the beef until cooked. Set it aside.
Boil some water and add a pinch of salt. Blanch the spinach quickly, then drain and spread it out to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the spinach and beef. Add the tamarind dressing and mix well. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. Finally, add the chopped mint and half of the crushed peanuts.
Serve this delicious beef and spinach salad with tamarind dressing, garnished with the remaining crushed peanuts.