Vietnamese Shrimp Cocktail
One of my favorite things to make for parties or potlucks has always been shrimp cocktail. It checks all the boxes because it is easy to prepare, can be made ahead of time, and always disappears quickly, as it is just so tasty. Now, recently, I've been thinking about how to make shrimp cocktail with
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 lbs Jumbo Shrimp
- 3 quarts Water
- 1/2 Onion
- 2 inch nub of Ginger
- 5 Lime Leaves
- Salt to taste
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 6 Thai Chili
- 5 Lime Leaves
- 12 Kumquats
- 1 Lime
- 3 tbsp Condensed Milk
- 1/2 tbsp MSG
- 1/2 tbsp Salt
Instructions
- 1
Processing the Shrimp:
- 2
Start by preparing the shrimp. Rinse them under cold water and pat dry. Devein each shrimp using a toothpick or skewer by slipping the tip under the dark vein along the back, lifting it up, and pulling it out. Keep the shells on for poaching, since this helps lock in flavor and protects the delicate flesh
- 3
Next, make the poaching liquid. In a large pot, combine three quarts of water with onion, ginger, and lime leaves. Add salt to taste. Bring everything to a rolling boil, then lower the heat and let the aromatics simmer for ten to fifteen minutes so the flavors infuse into the water
- 4
Once fragrant, bring the pot back to a boil, turn off the heat, and add the shrimp. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat, and let the shrimp gently cook in the hot liquid for 3-4 minutes or until they turn opaque and curl into a loose C shape. Immediately transfer the shrimp to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cool, peel the shrimp but leave the tails on for presentation
- 5
Make the Muoi Ot Do/Vietnamese Shrimp Cocktail Sauce:
- 6
Remove the seeds and pith from the red bell pepper and cut the pepper into bite-sized pieces
- 7
Juice fresh kumquats and reserve any pulp
- 8
In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the following ingredients: red bell pepper, Thai chilies, kumquat juice, the juice of a lime, and lime leaves. Add condensed milk and season with MSG and salt
- 9
Pulse a few times, then blend until smooth. Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and chill in the fridge for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to come together
- 10
Serve:
- 11
Pour muoi ot do into a dipping bowl, and then arrange shrimp onto a plate. Enjoy!