Water spinach is best known through its attractive mixed salads, in addition, it is also a folk remedy for curing diseases. It’s wonderful, both nutritious and delicious, so let’s get into the kitchen with Tastetutorial.com to make 2 ways of preparing water spinach salad with pig ears and duck breast right away!
1. Water spinach salad with pig ears
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Cooking
15 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Water spinach salad with pig ears Serves 3
Water spinach 300 gr Pig ears 400 gr Bell pepper 1/2 piece Carrot 1/2 root Vietnamese coriander A little Ginger 5 gr (2 slices) Bird’s eye chili 3 pieces Lemongrass 1 stalk Garlic 3 cloves Shallots 2 bulbs Fried shallots 4 tablespoons Roasted peanuts 50 gr Lemon juice 8 tablespoons Vinegar 2 tablespoons Fish sauce 6 tablespoons Common seasoning A little (Salt/ Sugar/ MSG)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh pig ears
- Of course, you should choose crispy, fresh ears. These ears usually have bright colors, rosy, without any dark bruises, dullness, or unusual tiny spots on the surface.
- When pressing lightly, you can feel the firmness and good elasticity, and they should feel solid in your hand. Avoid using ears that feel soft and mushy when touched, as these are ears that have been stored for too long and may affect health.
- Additionally, you can also determine by the smell. If there is any spoiled or foul odor, those are ears that have been treated with chemicals for longer preservation.
How to choose fresh bell peppers
- To choose bell peppers, you should pay attention to the bottom part. Typically, the bottom is divided into 3 parts for male bell peppers, which are suitable for stir-frying due to their richer flavor. Meanwhile, female bell peppers with 4 parts at the bottom are used for eating raw or for salads.
- Additionally, choose fruits with a smooth, shiny surface, bright colors, and the stem still fresh.
- When you hold them, they should feel firm, indicating that the fruit is still fresh and retains a lot of nutrients.
How to prepare Pork ear salad with water lily
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Prepare the pork ear
Purchase the pork ear and place it in a bowl to soak in diluted salt water with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice for 10 minutes. Then use a knife to scrub the corners of the ear thoroughly and rinse with clean water 2 – 3 times before removing.
Put a pot on the stove and add 400g of prepared pork ear, 2 peeled purple onions, 1 crushed lemongrass stalk, 5g (2 slices) of ginger, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and 500ml of water to boil on high heat for 10 minutes.
When the water boils, reduce to low heat and cook for another 10 – 15 minutes before turning off the heat and transferring to a bowl to cool, then cut into bite-sized strips.
Tip: To make the pork ear whiter and crispier after boiling, soak it in ice water for 5 – 10 minutes before cutting.How to clean pork ear effectively and reduce odor
- Method 1: The most commonly used method is to soak the ear in diluted alum for 5 – 10 minutes.
- Method 2: Alternatively, soaking in a mixture of salt and lemon or diluted vinegar for 10 minutes is also very effective.
- Method 3: Flour and cornstarch are also trusted for cleaning pork ear more effectively by scrubbing until bubbles form and then scraping them off.
- Method 4: A simpler method is to soak the pork ear in rice water for 5 – 10 minutes and then scrub with lemon thoroughly on the surface.
- Method 5: Additionally, soaking the ear in star fruit juice is also very good for eliminating odor. After soaking for 10 minutes, continue to scrub with salt for immediate cleanliness.
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Prepare the remaining ingredients
Rinse river crab leaves and Vietnamese coriander, removing old leaves, and wash with diluted salt water then rinse with clean water 2 – 3 times, drain and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Peel the carrot and wash the red bell pepper, then cut them into strips. For garlic and chili, just mince them finely.
Note: For the carrot, if you want it to absorb the seasoning better, you can grate it instead of cutting it into strips.
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Making the dressing
Prepare 1 bowl along with 6 tablespoons of sugar, 6 tablespoons of fish sauce, 6 tablespoons of lemon juice, 6 tablespoons of water, and a little monosodium glutamate, stir well to dissolve, then add 3 minced garlic cloves and 3 minced chili peppers.
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Mixing the salad
Prepare a large bowl to combine the prepped ingredients including 300g of water spinach, 1/2 carrot, and 1/2 red bell pepper cut into strips, 400g of pork ear, 50g of roasted peanuts, 1/2 of the cut Vietnamese coriander, 2 tablespoons of fried shallots, and all of the dressing, then toss well to absorb the flavors.
After that, adjust the seasoning to taste and add the remaining Vietnamese coriander and fried shallots before transferring to a plate.
Tip:- To ensure the seasoning is evenly absorbed, it’s best to use a large bowl for easier mixing, and use your hands to toss the ingredients.
- Avoid making the salad too salty, as it can be hard to adjust when adding the dressing; add it gradually and toss lightly before adding more.
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Finished product
Thus, the Water lily salad with pig’s ear has been completed in no time. This is surely a great change of taste for the weekend as everyone in your family will be amazed by your skill.
The salad has a perfect balance of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, with the pig’s ear being chewy and crunchy, making a delightful sound with every bite. Don’t forget the other vegetables like carrots and red bell peppers, which also play an important role in the success of the dish.
Of course, with such a delicious dish, you can enjoy it with shrimp chips and dip it in a bowl of sweet and sour fish sauce to fully savor the flavors!
2. Water lily salad with duck breast
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Preparation
30 minutes
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Processing
30 minutes
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Difficulty level
Easy
Ingredients for Duck Breast and Watercress Salad Serves 3
Watercress 300 gr Duck breast 300 gr (1 piece) Carrot 150 gr (1 piece) Onion 1/2 piece Shallot 1 piece Ginger 7 gr (3 slices) Lemon juice 3 teaspoons Plum chili sauce 2 teaspoons Mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Salt/ Sugar A little
How to Choose Fresh and Delicious Duck Breast
- You should choose duck breast that has just been slaughtered and processed to retain freshness. The outer skin should have a characteristic yellow color, not too dark or any unusual colors.
- When pressed, it should feel elastic and firm. If it feels deformed, it may be due to water injection, and it should not be used.
- Avoid choosing pieces of duck breast with a blotchy surface and many bruises, as they will not taste good.
How to prepare Water Lily Salad with Duck Breast
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Prepare the duck meat
Buy the duck breast and rub it with salt to clean any residual blood, then rinse with water and let it drain.
Next, place a pan on the stove with 300g of duck breast (1 piece), 500ml of water, half an onion, and a sliced shallot, along with a little salt. Boil on high heat for about 10 minutes.
When the water boils, reduce to low heat and cook for another 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and transfer to a plate to cool before cutting into bite-sized pieces.
How to reduce the odor of duck meat- Method 1: Usually, people use coarse salt to rub thoroughly over the duck, then rinse briefly with water. After that, mix a combination of wine and sliced ginger, rub it over the duck for 3-5 minutes, and then rinse 2-3 times very clean, which is also very effective.
- Method 2: Use a mixture of salt and lemon or vinegar to rub thoroughly on the surface of the duck and then rinse clean with water 2-3 times to immediately eliminate the fishy smell.
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Prepare the remaining ingredients
Wash the water lily stems by soaking them in diluted saltwater for 5 – 10 minutes, then rinse with clean water and let them dry. Peel the carrot, wash it clean, and cut it into strips.
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Make the salad dressing
Prepare a bowl with 3 teaspoons of lemon juice, 4 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of plum chili sauce, and 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise, then mix the ingredients together well.
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Final product
The water spinach salad with duck breast will be a dish that brings truly interesting experiences for everyone when enjoyed. Just with the first glance, the colors and the presentation are so appealing that they urge us to try it immediately.
The water spinach blends with the carrot, deeply soaked in salty and sweet seasoning. It is really hard to resist those delicious and nutritious pieces of duck breast. Don’t hesitate, just enjoy your final product right away!
How to choose fresh and delicious water spinach
- It is advisable to choose leaves that are bright green, glossy, have a sharp heart shape, and the stems are still fresh.
- Young water spinach will provide a delicious flavor as well as being crisper than those with overly dark green, which are old.
- Avoid using wilted or waterlogged vegetables that have been stored for too long, as water spinach can only be preserved for a short time of 1 – 3 days.
How to choose fresh and delicious carrots
- Choose roots of moderate size, not too large or too small, elongated, and feel firm when held.
- Fresh and delicious carrots have a deep orange color and look bright, with a smooth, shiny outer skin, not rough, and the green tops are still fresh and firmly attached to the body.
- Typically, larger roots are older carrots that contain a lot of fiber and very few nutrients, and are not as tasty as smaller roots.
- Avoid using roots with wilted tops, feeling slimy to the touch, soft and mushy flesh, and many dark spots or tiny speckles on the surface, which are signs that the carrots have been stored for too long.
So, with just a few simple steps, we have created 2 ways to make water spinach salad with pig’s ear and duck breast that are nutritious and can bring freshness to your family meal. Hope you will be very successful with the above recipes and have warm moments with your loved ones!
*Refer to images and recipes from the YouTube channel: Ngọc Nguyễn and Simple Cooking
