Mushroom Salad with Sesame Soy Dressing

Is it summer already? It seems like two weeks ago, there was a snowstorm (on my birthday!), followed by two consecutive cloudy days then two consecutive rainy days. Now the sky is clear and the sun is out. Weather for the young and restless, partying on their porch (we are not out of the woods yet, so better be safe.) Weather for the sloth, for moving equals sweat. Weather for the salad lover, because, heat. Mushroom salad, to be exact.

I don’t think I eat salads to be healthy, even though it’s a good side effect. I eat salads because they unite sweet and sour, savory and bitter, soft and chewy. There are elements of freshness and bits of funk. Vietnamese salads (gỏi or nộm, as Northerners call it) is the purest representation of that.

What Goes into a Vietnamese Salad?

I grew up eating a lot of gỏi gà (chicken salad), which consist of poached chicken, shredded cabbage and carrot, dressed in a vinaigrette of white vinegar, salt, sugar and fish sauce. There are thin slices of onion and black pepper for aroma, as well as cilantro and Vietnamese mint for extra freshness. Another favorite of mine is gỏi ngó sen (lotus stem salad), which combines lotus stems, boiled prawns and pork belly slices – all mixed in the same dressing. For crunch, prawn crackers are served on the side.

Like all other types of salads, there’s a certain structure to the Vietnamese version: a base (vegetables), a protein (optional), some herbs and dressing. But what sets ours apart is the simple, no-fuss vinaigrette: always vinegar (or lime), sugar, salt, and fish sauce (or soy sauce). You whisk everything together, taste and adjust. To those who are particular about the unwanted liquid from their salad, there’s an old recipe of mine you’d want to check out. Concentrated sweet fish sauce is the way to go.

What Goes into This Mushroom Salad?

• Mushroom (of course). I use a mix of king oyster mushroom and cremini – the former chewy and meaty; the latter soft. You can roast them for some smoky intense flavor, but I prefer to steam them with some salt and pepper. Plus, it’s quicker.   

• The dressing: basic stuff, go for fish sauce if you don’t want to make it vegetarian. One important note here: I always soak onion or shallot in vinegar before using it in a dressing or eating it raw to reduce its harsh aftertaste. Its flavor also dissolves into the vinegar and makes for an aromatic dressing.

• The herbs: cilantro, it’s what I always have in the crisper.

• The crunch: nothing fancy here, just plain old roasted peanuts and crispy shallots. Sometimes I wonder whether eating salads is an excuse for consuming those.

Mushroom Salad with Sesame Soy Dressing

Earthy mushroom marinated in a simple no-fuss dressing, seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil.

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Vietnamese

Ingredients

  

For the dressing

• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 shallot thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil

For the salad

• 300 g mushroom mix
• 1 medium carrot about 100 g
• 2 stalks cilantro
• 1 tbsp fried shallots
• 1 tbsp roasted peanuts

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, combine white vinegar, salt and sugar. Soak the shallot and garlic for 15 minutes.
• Slice cremini into thin slices. For king oyster mushrooms, slice them lengthwise and then into matchsticks.
• In a medium pot, insert a steamer basket. Steam the mushrooms for 15 minutes or until they reduce half in size.
• Shave the carrot into thin ribbons (or cut it into matchstick, you choose)
• Once the mushrooms cool down, remove the shallots and garlic from the vinegar and combine them with the mushroom and carrot in a mixing bowl.
• To make the dressing, add soy sauce and sesame oil into the vinegar and whisk until everything combines.
• Add the dressing into the mushroom mixture and toss thoroughly.
• Sprinkle with herbs, fried shallots and peanuts.

Keyword mushroom, salad