Somewhere between craving something light and realizing I had seafood to use up, this salad happened. It borrows a lot from Thai pomelo salad—fresh herbs, juicy citrus, plenty of crunch—but gets a protein upgrade because sometimes fruit and texture aren’t enough to count as a real meal. This is a salad that eats like dinner, not just a detour before something heavier.
Enter: squid and prawns. Quick to cook, full of protein, and never boring if you treat them right. The prawns bring sweetness and that springy bite that soaks up flavour like a sponge. The squid adds just enough chew to make things interesting (rubbery squid is a crime, but tender squid? A flex).
At the heart of it all is the dressing, a riff on nước chấm, Vietnam’s greatest condiment. It’s sharp, salty, sweet, sour, and just spicy enough to keep you awake. Fish sauce is the backbone—funky, umami, totally essential—balanced by lime juice and a pinch of sugar. Garlic and chilli bring the heat, and a bit of water loosens it up to the perfect consistency. It’s one of those sauces you’ll want to pour on everything from noodles to grilled meats.
The result is a dish that’s fast, flavourful, and exactly the kind of salad that doesn’t leave you wandering the kitchen an hour later looking for crackers. It’s zippy and fresh, with enough heft to keep you grounded. And best of all? It comes together in less time than it takes for someone to post another “gut-healing” smoothie bowl. Honestly, this might heal your soul a little more anyway.
THAI-INSPIRED SQUID, PRAWN & GRAPEFRUIT SALAD
Ingredients
- 150 grams prawns
- 150 grams squid
- 1 grapefruit
- 1 medium cucumber
- 2 tablespoons mint leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons peanuts, roughly chopped
Nước chấm dressing:
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 fresh green or red chilli
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- First make the dressing: de-seed and finely chop the chilli. Mince or finely chop the garlic.
- Mix together all the 'dressing' ingredients in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water to this and stir again. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
- Boil water in a small saucepan. Poach the prawns and squid for 3 mins over medium heat. Remove and rinse under cold water.
- Remove the peel of the grapefruit (making sure to also remove the bitter white pith just beneath the peel). Slice into rounds, then remove any seeds. Chop into approx 2 inch pieces. Also chop the cucumber into 2 inch pieces.
- In a large bowl, toss the cooked seafood, grapefruit, cucumber, mint and coriander leaves, and peanuts. Add the dressing and toss just before serving.
Notes
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