Melo melo (Vietnamese: ốc giác) is a very large sea snail, and the Vietnamese like large snails because of their chewy meat texture. The meat of a melo melo snail consists of 2 parts: the white pulp and the soft, fatty brown intestine. There are many ways to cook mel melo such as boiling, grilling, making salads, cooking porridge …
Melo melo salad (gỏi ốc giác) is a simple, rustic but very tasty dish, and it has become a delicacy food in coastal city Phan Thiet.
In a saucepan, add 5 tablespoons of fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon of sugar, bring to a boil then turn off the heat. When the sauce is cooled off, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, minced garlic, and minced chillis, then stir evenly. Taste if the sauce suits your taste buds.
Bring a pot of water to a boil, add melo melo snails, and cook with crushed lemongrass stalks. When the snails are cooked, pull out the meat, cut in bite-sized pieces. Marinate the snails with 1 tablespoon of marinade.
Cut onions into rings. Slice a cucumber into 3mm (1/8 inch) slices. Cut a carrot into jullienne pieces. Soak the veggies in a mixture of vinegar and sugar for 5 mins, then drain.
In a large bowl, add the snails, all the veggies, roasted sesame, spring onion strips, then pour the marinade and toss the mixture up. Bring the salad onto a serving plate, and garnish with sesame, peppermints, and spring onions. Serve with prawn crackers.
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.
