Tiếng Việt
ไทยIf you are looking for a snack that is both sour, spicy, and refreshingly crunchy, then mango salad with dried squid is an unmissable choice. Not only is it appealing to the taste buds, but this salad also awakens childhood memories with its rustic and familiar flavor. Today, let’s explore how to make mango and dried squid salad with Ola Squid!
Mango Salad with Dried Squid – The Flavor of Childhood, Irresistibly Delicious
Mango salad with dried squid is not just a familiar snack, but also a part of the childhood memories of many people. This simple, rustic dish was often associated with gatherings with friends, sharing each piece of sour and spicy salad, enjoying it while exclaiming in delight, yet unable to stop eating.
What makes mango salad with dried squid so beloved is the harmonious combination of flavors: the slight sourness of green mango, the salty sweetness of grilled dried squid, the spiciness of chili, the richness of peanuts, and the distinctive aroma of Vietnamese coriander. All blend together in each bite, creating a balanced and naturally captivating experience for the taste buds.
This dish is not elaborate but has the ability to make people “remember by taste”. That’s why, among countless new and delicious dishes, mango salad with dried squid still maintains its own appeal, a dish that people want to eat again whenever it is mentioned.
Ingredients Needed for Mango Salad with Dried Squid
To have a truly authentic mango salad with dried squid, choosing fresh ingredients is extremely important. Here is a list of ingredients and tips for choosing and buying that you need to keep in mind.
Main Components
- Green mango (1-2 fruits): should choose keo mango or young cat mango, with a slight sour taste.
- Dried squid (100-150g): should choose one-sun dried squid or thick-fleshed dried squid.
- Vietnamese coriander, fresh chili, minced garlic, crushed roasted peanuts
- Seasonings for mixing sauce: good fish sauce, sugar, lime or lemon juice, MSG.
Tips for Choosing Good Ingredients
To ensure the full flavor of mango salad with dried squid, choosing quality ingredients is very important. For mangoes, you should choose fruits that are firm to the touch, green skin, and when shredded, they will retain their crispness and not become mushy. For dried squid, prioritize thick squid with a natural pale white color and a mild aroma, and avoid any fishy smell. Avoid using squid that is moldy or has a strange odor, as it may affect the quality of the dish and your health.
How to Make Authentic Mango Salad with Dried Squid
After you have the ingredients, let’s start making mango salad with dried squid according to the steps below to have a delicious and attractive snack.
Step 1 – Prepare the Ingredients
- Dried squid: grill briefly over charcoal or a gas stove for aroma, then shred into small pieces.
- Green mango: peel, wash, shred thinly, then soak in ice water for 5-10 minutes to make it crispy.
- Garlic, chili: mince.
- Vietnamese coriander: wash and chop.
- Peanuts: crush.
Step 2 – Make the Salad Dressing
- Mix well: 2 tablespoons of fish sauce + 1 tablespoon of sugar + 1 tablespoon of lime juice + minced chili + minced garlic. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- You can add a little chili sauce if you want a spicier flavor.
Step 3 – Mix the Salad and Finish
- Add shredded mango, shredded squid, Vietnamese coriander, and dressing to a large bowl.
- Gently mix to coat the ingredients evenly with the seasoning.
- Finally, sprinkle with roasted peanuts and a few chili slices to increase the appeal.
>>> See more: How to make spicy dried squid at home
Tips to Make Mango Salad with Dried Squid Even Better
Although the recipe is not too complicated, just a few small tips during the preparation process will make the mango salad with dried squid more flavorful and attractive. Here are some simple but effective secrets to elevate your dish.
How to Grill Squid to be Soft and Fragrant, Not Chewy
Dried squid, if not prepared correctly, is easy to become tough, hard, or burnt, affecting the overall flavor of the salad. To grill squid deliciously, grill it over hot coals or low heat (if using a gas stove), turning it over frequently so that the squid cooks slowly and retains moisture inside. After grilling, gently pound the squid with a mortar or roll it to soften it. This helps the squid fibers become softer, easier to absorb seasoning, and not chewy when eaten.
What to Do if the Mango is Too Sour?
You don’t always choose green mangoes with just the right amount of sourness. If you come across mangoes that are too sour or have a strong sour taste, don’t worry, soak the shredded mango in diluted sugar water (filtered water + sugar) for about 10 minutes, then drain. This helps neutralize some of the sourness while still maintaining the crispness of the mango, avoiding loss of fiber structure and not diluting the flavor when mixing the salad.
What Can Be Used Instead of Mango?
If you don’t have green mangoes, you can still vary the dish with substitutes that have similar flavors and textures:
- Young papaya shreds: has a slight sourness, crispness, and aroma, very suitable for making salad.
- Green papaya: when shredded and mixed with salad, it feels crispy, cool, and easy to eat.
- Jicama: although the main flavor is sweet, it can be used if you want to reduce the sourness or make salad for young children.
No matter what ingredient you substitute, you should still ensure a balance between sour, spicy, salty, and sweet to maintain the spirit of mango salad with dried squid.
Similarly, with basic ingredients, you can also create many other seafood salads such as mango salad with dried squid or pomelo salad with shrimp and squid, each dish has its own unique flavor.
See more: How to make dried squid with rice paper salad
Frequently Asked Questions
To make mango salad with dried squid delicious and hygienic, you should note a few common issues when preparing and storing it below.
How Long Can Mango Salad with Dried Squid Be Stored?
Mango salad with dried squid is best enjoyed immediately after mixing. At this time, the mango is still crispy, the squid is fragrant, the ingredients have not released water, and retain the most intense flavor.
If you need to store it, you can put the remaining salad in an airtight container and refrigerate it. However, it should only be used within 4 to 6 hours. After this time, the mango will become soft, release water, dilute the flavor of the salad, while the squid may become dry or chewy. Absolutely do not leave the salad overnight or for too long, especially after mixing with fish sauce and Vietnamese coriander, because this is an environment that is easy to generate bacteria if not stored properly.
Does Dried Squid Need to Be Boiled?
You should not boil dried squid when making salad. Boiling will lose the natural sweetness and make the squid tough and lose its natural texture. Instead, grill the squid over hot coals or a gas stove on low heat, turning it over frequently so that the squid cooks slowly and retains moisture inside. After grilling, gently pound the squid with a mortar or roll it to soften it. This way keeps the chewy goodness of the dried squid, makes the squid fibers easier to absorb seasoning, and doesn’t make it chewy when eaten.
See Ola Squid’s high-quality whole dried squid products, properly sun-dried and safely stored, for every delicious meal.
To find a safe and quality place to buy dried squid, Ola Squid is a reliable choice. Squid at Ola Squid is selected from clean sea areas, sun-dried according to strict control processes, and does not contain harmful additives. The squid has a thick body, natural sweetness, smells fragrant when grilled, and is not chewy, perfectly suitable for making salads, grilling, braising, or snacking.
See more: Top 9 places to buy dried squid in Ho Chi Minh City that you should not miss
Order dried squid at Ola Squid to be assured of quality, safe for health, and ensure the most authentic flavor for your dish!
Mango salad with dried squid is not just a simple snack, but a sophisticated combination of flavor and emotion. Each slightly sour mango strand, each fragrant piece of squid evokes familiar and close memories that everyone has experienced. With easy-to-find ingredients and a quick and easy recipe, this is a dish you can easily make at home.
Ola Squid introduces a range of high-quality whole dried squid, sun-dried properly and safely stored, for every delicious meal.
