Mangosteen is a highly-prized tropical fruit, and it is even nicknamed “Queen of the Fruits”. In Vietnam, mangosteen is caltivated in southern provinces, especially in Bình Dương. Lái Thiêu mangosteen in Bình Dương province has long been famous throughout the country for its sweet aroma. The local people here often use this fruit in a unique salad to treat guests.
Unlike normal salads, the mangosteen salad has its own taste and processing method. People will normally choose mangosteen fruits whose skins are still green, but the inside pulp is just ripe, so that the salad dish retains its crispness, sweetness and mildly sour taste.
Like most Vietnamese salads, the basic mangosteen salad is the combination of mangosteen and the mixture of prawns and pork belly. Another common variation is with chicken.
In a pot of water, add the chicken together with 1 tsp salt, and 2 Asian shallots. Cook the chicken for about 20 mins. Let it cool, then shred its meat into pieces (using hands with plastic gloves).
Soak the mangosteens in a tub of water with some sea salt. Use a fruit knife to break the woody rind and gep the inside pulps. Slice the mangosteen pulps or separate each segment. In a bowl, add 1 liter water + 1/2 TB sugar + 1/2 TB vinegar, and soak the mangosteen arils or slices into it, and place the bowl in the fridge.
Juice the lime and mix the lime juice with 3 TB sugar, mix until the sugar is dissolved. Add 1 TB fish sauce to the sauce, and some minced chili and garlic.
In a salad bowl, add the chicken shreds, then the mangosteen, and herbs (chopped Vietnamese mints and cinnamon basil), the salad sauce. Mix for about 5 mins until the seasonings are absorbed into the main ingredients.
Peel the mangosteens quickly to maintain the whiteness.
Vietnamese cuisine is the method of cooking, the principle of mixing spices and the general dining habits of all Vietnamese people in Vietnam. With a unique geography, climate, and cultural exchange, the cuisine of Vietnam is extremely diverse and rich. The characteristics of Vietnamese cuisine is the focus on the freshness, so Vietnamese dishes are generally perceived as delicious and healthy.
