Vietnamese mango salad (Goi Xoai recipe), is a bright dish that features green mangoes and shrimp. Fresh herbs such as mint, thai basil, and cilantro are added to make it stand out. This mouthwatering combination of sweet and sour, salty, with many textures, is a delicious one.

This is a very basic salad. This one has a few extras to make the dish more fancy. You can also mix mangoes, dried shrimps, cilantro, and salad dressing.

There is no one right combination of vegetables or herbs. You can use any of the herbs that you have, and add or remove cucumbers. For color, substitute bell peppers with carrots. This is how u can see the result.

Mangoes: What to Choose

The mangoes used in this recipe are not green, but that’s okay. These are Kent mangoes, and even though they’re not ripe, they still look yellow. Kents are more fibrous than other varieties, making them a great option for salads when they are available in the summer.

You can find Kent in Mexico and Thailand, but you won’t be able to find it. A common mango variety is also available from India. This mango is more sour than others and has a green appearance (maybe you like that!). It is available all year.

There are many mango varieties in Vietnam that can be used to make salad. One type is xoai-tuong. It weighs in at around 2-4 pounds and is about the same size as a papaya.

How to devein and prepare shrimp

Get tail-on headless shrimp. Frozen shrimp can be defrosted by soaking them in water. Select a size that is labeled as 36/40 or 31/35. These numbers indicate the number of shrimp per pound (e.g. 36/40 refers to 36-40 shrimp per pound.

Dry the shrimp. This is the intestinal tract. Poop = the intestinal tract. Many people ignore it and just leave it there. They will then call you a paunsy for trying to remove it. Let them eat whatever they like, but I will devein my shrimp.

I used a recipe for goi cuon (Vietnamese Spring Rolls) to devein the shrimp by carefully slicing it along its entire body using a knife. I discovered a faster way to do it: make a small cut at the shrimp’s back towards its head and then pull the vein out.

Here are 40 seconds of silent, unadulterated shrimp deveining

Then boil the water with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the shrimp and bring it back to a boil. Drain the shrimp once they are slightly pink.

Extras

Fry Shrimp Chips

The puffy crackers you see in the photos are banh Phong Tom or shrimp chips. These are packaged in small dry disks that expand to about 4x when they’re fried.

They are most commonly found in Vietnamese supermarkets. These are quite magical when they’re cooked.

“Roast the Peanuts”

Raw peanuts should be toasted before being used as toppings. This will make the flavor more intense and changeable. Raw peanuts are not good for this recipe.

The microwave is a faster way to toast peanuts. Place 1 layer of peanuts in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Continue this process for approximately 2 minutes to cook 1/2 cup peanuts.

They will look a little browned and crispy. They will taste just the way they would if you were to watch them roast in an oven.

Pickle the Vegetables

To make the pickled carrots or daikon ahead, you can follow my recipe. You can use this versatile jar of Vietnamese pickles with many dishes.

In a pinch, you could make a quick pickle that you can eat in under an hour. Although the taste may not be the same, it will still taste great!

Combine enough sugar, vinegar, and water to cover the vegetables. Allow the mixture to sit for at least an hour before adding the julienned vegetables. To prevent it from getting too soggy, add the cucumber in the last half.

Salad Dressing

This dressing is very similar to the Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce recipe (Nuoc Cham), but the water content is slightly higher.

You can adjust the ratios to suit your taste preferences.

What is a green mango?

Unripe mangoes are usually green mangoes. These unripe mangoes have a bitter taste and can be used in salads. Many cultures, including Vietnamese, prefer green mangoes with salt and chile solutions. This helps to reduce the sourness and makes them a tasty new treat.

How do you peel a mango green?

To peel green mangoes, I prefer to use a vegetable scraper because it is the easiest and most reliable option.

How can you julienne green mangoes?

Once the mango is peeled, place it on its side. Then cut off the tail. To make thin slices, use a mandolin cutter and cutting-proof gloves. Once you have cut your slices, julienne them to make matchsticks with green mango. A few mandolin slicers have a julienne attachment.