A salad consisting of papaya, lotus root, pig’s ear, crayfish, and a special dipping sauce.

Mrs. Phung’s papaya and crayfish salad at the intersection of Le Dai Hanh – Ba Thang Hai, District 11 starts selling at about 10 a.m. every day. On one side is an eye-catching decoration with shredded papaya and lotus roots, on the other side many red crayfish and crispy pork ears. All are carefully covered to ensure hygiene.

Ms. Phung said, about 4 years ago, many diners were known for selling boiled snails with their signature dipping sauce. But to change the taste, she now sells salads. Because of her experience in sales, she always knows how to source fresh ingredients to retain customers.

Crayfish will source fresh every day from acquaintances in Ben Tre because it is famous for its hard shell and firm flesh. After that, she washed and steamed to keep the natural sweetness. The pig’s ears are cleaned and boiled thoroughly, so there is no smell and it’s crispy. And papaya will be freshly grated every day to make it crispy, fresh, and succulent.

In particular, the memorable part of this salad is the jar of thick and fragrant dipping sauce, made by Phung herself according to the recipe of fish sauce, lemon, garlic, chili, and granulated sugar. The sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors blend to stimulate the taste buds, so it is loved by many diners.

In addition to eating with salad, this sauce can be used with other dishes. Many diners who come here to buy salad still want to buy their own dipping sauce, so Ms. Phung also has a bottle available to meet demand.

“Thanks to the skillful display and the ability to make sauces to stimulate the taste, my salad has attracted a large number of guests from near and far to enjoy and give positive feedback,” said Ms. Phung.

A salad consisting of grated papaya, pickled lotus root, pig’s ear and 2 crayfish is sold for 60,000 VND. In addition, this burden also has spring rolls with shrimp or pork ears, priced at 10,000 VND a book.

Photo: Internet