Delicious and Attractive Pork Belly and Water Spinach Salad Recipe

Pork belly and water spinach salad is a refreshing, nutritious dish perfect for adding variety to your family meals. With its characteristic sweet and sour flavor, combined with tender pork belly and crisp water spinach, this dish is sure to delight you and your loved ones.

1. Preparing Ingredients

1.1. Ingredients for 2-3 servings

• 300g pork belly (or pork shoulder)
• 500g water spinach
• 20g Vietnamese coriander
• 2 onions
• 15g roasted peanuts
• 1 lemon
• 1 garlic bulb
• 4 shallots
• 1 chili
• Seasonings: fish sauce, sugar, vinegar

1.2. Tips for Choosing Fresh Ingredients

To make the perfect pork belly and water spinach salad, selecting fresh ingredients is crucial. Choose pork belly with a balanced ratio of lean and fat, a fresh pink color, and no strange odors.

Fresh pork belly
Selecting fresh pork belly enhances the flavor of the salad.

For water spinach, opt for bunches with shiny green leaves and no bruising. Fresh water spinach will add crispness and a distinctive flavor to the salad.

Fresh green water spinach
Fresh green water spinach, rich in nutrients.

2. Recipe for Pork Belly and Water Spinach Salad

2.1. Preparing the Ingredients

• Rinse the pork belly with diluted salt water, then let it drain.
• Trim the roots from the water spinach, wash it thoroughly, and soak in diluted salt water for 5-10 minutes before draining.
• Pick the leaves of the Vietnamese coriander, wash, and finely chop.
• Peel the onions, slice one into wedges for boiling the pork, and finely chop the other for the salad.
• Wash the chili, remove the seeds, and finely chop. Peel and mince the garlic. Peel and thinly slice the shallots.
• Squeeze the juice from the lemon.

2.2. Boiling and Slicing the Pork Belly

Place the pork belly in a pot, cover with water, add onion wedges and a pinch of salt, and boil for about 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, remove the pork, let it cool, then slice into bite-sized pieces.

2.3. Mixing the Salad Dressing

The “magical” salad dressing recipe includes: 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1.5 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, minced garlic, and sliced shallots. Stir well to blend the flavors.

Mixing sweet and sour salad dressing
Sweet and sour salad dressing tailored to family taste.

2.4. Tossing the Salad

Place the sliced pork belly in a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the salad dressing, mix well, and let it marinate for 10-15 minutes. Then add the water spinach, finely chopped onion, and the rest of the dressing, gently tossing everything together. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

2.5. Finished Dish

Pork belly and water spinach salad
Attractive pork belly and water spinach salad with roasted peanuts and prawn crackers.

Pork belly and water spinach salad is a perfect blend of tender pork, crisp water spinach, and sweet and sour dressing. Adding some roasted peanuts, fried shallots, and serving with prawn crackers will make the dish even more flavorful and appealing.

3. Notes on Making Pork Belly and Water Spinach Salad

• Boil the pork belly until just cooked to avoid it becoming dry and losing flavor.
• Thoroughly wash and soak the water spinach in salt water to ensure food safety.
• Use clean hands or gloves when mixing the salad to maintain hygiene.
• The salad dressing is key to the dish’s success. Adjust the balance of sour, sweet, and spicy to suit your family’s taste.

With simple ingredients and quick preparation, you can easily make a refreshing and nutritious pork belly and water spinach salad for your family. Try it out to enjoy the unique flavor of this dish!

(Source: Cười khúc khích)