Equipment
Ingredients
Peanut-Fish Sauce Dressing
- 60 g creamy peanut butter, unsweetened
- 30 g hoisin sauce
- 15 ml fish sauce
- 30 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 g lime zest
- 30 ml warm water
- 10 g chili garlic sauce
Shrimp Prep
- 450 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 10 g salt
Salad Base
- 200 g rice vermicelli noodles, dry
- 150 g butter lettuce, washed, dried, and torn
- 15 g fresh mint leaves
- 15 g fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
- 15 g fresh thai basil, leaves picked
- 40 g roasted peanuts, roughly crushed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 852 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbohydrates
- 120 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fiber
- 11 g
- Sugar
- 29 g
- Sodium
- 2252 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Cholesterol
- 2 mg
- Potassium
- 652 mg
- Calcium
- 131 mg
- Iron
- 7.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 167 mg
- Phosphorus
- 409 mg
- Zinc
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 106 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin E
- 5.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 42 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.36 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.21 mg
- Niacin
- 6.9 mg
- Folate
- 76 mcg
- Water
- 43 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, lime zest, and warm water. Emulsify until completely smooth. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat.
Add the peeled shrimp to the boiling water. Poach gently for 2 to 3 minutes until they curl into a C shape, turn uniformly pink, and reach an internal temperature of 74C/165F. Remove immediately with a slotted spoon.
Transfer the poached shrimp directly into a bowl of ice water for 2 minutes to halt the cooking process. Drain well and pat thoroughly dry.
Return the pot of water to a boil. Add the dry rice vermicelli noodles and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until tender but retaining a slight chew.
Drain the noodles in a colander and immediately rinse them aggressively under cold running water. Toss them with your hands while rinsing to remove excess surface starch. Shake vigorously to drain all excess water.
Divide the torn butter lettuce, chilled noodles, mint, cilantro, and Thai basil among four wide, shallow serving bowls. Top each bowl with an equal portion of the chilled shrimp.
Drizzle the peanut dressing generously over each bowl. Scatter the crushed roasted peanuts on top just before serving.
Chef's Notes
- When purchasing shrimp, aim for 21/25 count per pound to ensure substantial, meaty bites that balance the delicate noodles and greens.
- To prevent herbs from bruising and rapidly oxidizing, tear the large leaves by hand rather than chopping them aggressively with a knife.
- Ensure the water added to the peanut dressing is warm; this gently melts and emulsifies the natural oils in the peanut butter, yielding a highly velvety finish.
- For the absolute best texture, use a salad spinner to completely dry the butter lettuce and fresh herbs. Any residual water will dilute the intensely flavored dressing.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store dressing and salad components separately to prevent soggy greens.
Reheating: Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Troubleshooting
Noodles are gummy and clumped together into a solid block
Cause: Noodles were not rinsed thoroughly enough with cold water after boiling to remove surface starches.
Fix: Run the clumped noodles under cold water again, gently teasing them apart with your hands. Drain very well before plating.
Prevention: Aggressively rinse noodles under cold water while separating them with your fingers immediately after draining.
Dressing is too thick or separated
Cause: Peanut butter temperature was too low or cold liquid seized the fats.
Fix: Whisk in an additional 10ml of very warm water until the emulsion restores and becomes velvety.
Prevention: Ensure water added to the dressing is warm to help emulsify the oils in the peanut butter.
Cultural Context
This salad draws heavy inspiration from Bun Tom, a Vietnamese shrimp noodle salad, and the iconic Goi Cuon, known globally as fresh summer rolls. By deconstructing the tightly wrapped summer roll into a bowl, the diner gains a much higher ratio of fresh, fragrant herbs and crisp vegetables to noodles. Everything is unified by Tuong Dau Phong, a rich peanut and hoisin-based dipping sauce. The dish perfectly encapsulates the quintessential Vietnamese culinary philosophy of balancing savory, sweet, sour, and dramatic textural contrasts.
