Thai Salad with Grilled Prawns and Mango Recipe
A light, colourful salad with grilled prawns and sweet mango is a Thai way to handle the heat – lots of fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables and a dressing that combines sweet, sour and spicy notes. It’s a bit like a mix of a classic seafood salad and an exotic dessert, just in a main-course version.
This is a loose reference to Thai yam‑style salads, where hot, quickly cooked protein is tossed with cold vegetables and a bold lime–fish sauce dressing.
This salad brings all the pillars of Thai flavor into one bowl: sweetness from mango, saltiness from fish sauce, tangy lime, and chili heat. Instead of complex wok techniques it uses a simple grill pan, so you can easily recreate Thai street‑food vibes in a home kitchen.
Why this version works
- The shrimp are thoroughly patted dry and cooked in a single layer, so they brown instead of steaming.
- Removing the cucumber seeds reduces water in the salad, so the dressing doesn’t get diluted after a few minutes.
- Cutting the mango into batons instead of cubes helps it hold its shape and keeps it from turning into a purée.
- Adding the warm shrimp at the end boosts the aroma of the dressing without “cooking” the lettuce leaves.
Chef's tips
If you’re wary of the heat, start with 1–2 thin slices of chili and only add more after tasting – it’s easy to overdo it. The perfect moment to pull the shrimp off the pan is when they spring back when pressed with a fork and form a clear “C” shape rather than a tightly curled “O”. Always add the dressing in stages, because too much at once will quickly turn the lettuce into a soggy, limp mix.
How to serve
Serve it as a light lunch with a slice of crusty baguette or a bowl of fluffy jasmine rice to soak up the extra dressing. For a summer party, portion the salad into small bowls or glasses as a colorful appetizer, with extra chili, lime wedges and peanuts in small dishes on the side.
Watch out for
- Don’t add the shrimp to a cold pan – they’ll start releasing water and turn pale and rubbery.
- Don’t toss the salad too vigorously; ripe mango will break down quickly and tint the dressing.
- Don’t go overboard with the dressing – if it pools at the bottom of the bowl, add more lettuce or vegetables.
Substitutions
- You can swap the shrimp for thinly sliced grilled chicken, or tofu for a meat‑free version.
- Mango can be replaced with ripe pineapple, which brings similar sweetness and juiciness.
- Peanuts can be swapped for cashews or lightly toasted almond flakes.
Ingredients
- raw prawns - 300 g
- ripe but firm mango - 1 piece
- mixed salad leaves - 100 g
- fresh cucumber - 1 piece
- carrot - 1 piece
- unsalted peanuts - 3 tablespoons
- fresh coriander - 3 tablespoons
- oil roślinny - 1 tablespoon
- lime juice - 3 tablespoons
- fish sauce rybny - 1.5 tablespoons
- honey or cane sugar - 1 tablespoon
- garlic - 1 clove
- red chili pepper - 0.5 pieces
- black pepper czarny mielony - 0.25 teaspoons
- salt
Preparation
- Pat the prawns dry with a paper towel, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside for a moment.
- In a small bowl, prepare the dressing: mix the lime juice, fish sauce, honey, garlic and chopped chili. Taste – the dressing should be sour, sweet and slightly salty at the same time. If needed, adjust with a little more honey or fish sauce.
- Heat the oil in a large grill pan or regular frying pan over medium-high heat. Arrange the prawns in a single layer.
- Fry the prawns for 2–3 minutes on one side, until they turn pink and lightly golden, then flip and fry for another 1–2 minutes. The prawns are ready when they are pink and springy, not translucent.
- On a large plate or in a bowl, arrange the salad leaves, cucumber and carrot. Gently toss with your hands.
- Add the mango strips and still-warm prawns.
- Drizzle the salad with the prepared dressing and gently toss so the ingredients are coated but don’t fall apart.
- Sprinkle with chopped coriander and peanuts just before serving so they stay crunchy.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
When I make this salad for a bigger crowd, I always grill the shrimp in two versions: a milder one and one with double chili, because some friends insist on a “Thai level” of heat. I also often throw in thin slices of red onion if I happen to have some in the fridge.
