Combining shrimp and fruit in one dish is not something I had considered before. However, as it has gained popularity in traditional Chinese restaurants in Malaysia, I am convinced it is a perfect combination. The Cantonese fruit and shrimp salad combines cold fruits with poached shrimp mixed with a mayonnaise-based sauce. This dish is often served as an appetizer during banquet dinners.

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🛒Ingredients needed for the Cantonese fruit and shrimp salad

• Shrimp. You do not need large shrimp to make the salad. I would say that medium-sized shrimp is the best. Of course, we often use fresh shrimp for all of our cooking, but using frozen shrimp without shells has the advantage of simplifying the cooking preparation.
• Fruits. The choice of fruit depends on your preference and availability. I generally follow two rules. The first rule is to choose a variety of fruits with different colors, as this provides a vibrant color and better presentation. The second rule is to include crunchy fruits with lower water content, such as apples or pineapples. Fruits with high water content, like watermelon, can release water and dilute the mayonnaise when mixed with the shrimp and other fruits.
• Salad dressing. The main ingredient of the salad dressing is mayonnaise. The simplest way is to use only mayonnaise, but if you want to make it slightly sweet and tangy, consider adding some condensed milk and a small amount of lemon juice (or lime juice) to the mayonnaise. Condensed milk is the choice because it is thick and will not dilute the mayonnaise. It is also sweetened, so it is the perfect addition when mixing with fruits. Also, add some lemon zest to the salad to enhance the flavor.

👉 How to prepare the Chinese shrimp and fruit salad?

Here are the step-by-step instructions and photos.

1. After washing the shrimp, remove the shell, head, tails, and devein, leaving only the shrimp meat. Then add a teaspoon of salt, mix well with the shrimp, and let it rest for five minutes. The salt helps to season the shrimp and make it more crunchy. Don’t worry about the amount of salt, as we will poach the shrimp after this.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the shrimp, and cook over medium heat. The cooking time depends on the size of the shrimp. Generally, medium-sized shrimp are cooked once the water returns to a boil, usually taking about 45 seconds to a minute. 

3. Remove the shrimp using a strainer, then transfer them to a bowl of ice-cold water. The ice-cold water will instantly cool the shrimp, preventing the latent heat from overcooking the shrimp. This will ensure the shrimp remains crunchy and not overcooked.

4. After that, remove the shrimp from the ice water and place it on a kitchen towel to dry as much as possible. Some prefer to cut the shrimp crosswise and split it in half for better presentation. This, of course, depends on what you want and the size of the shrimp.

5. Cut all the vegetables and fruits into about half an inch or smaller cubes. The fruits used in this recipe are pineapples, red and green apples, honeydew, and cucumber. Other fruits like cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, dragon fruit, and mangoes are also suitable. Of course, you can also include boiled eggs, red onion, and potatoes.

6. Prepare the salad dressing by combining mayonnaise, lemon juice, zest, and condensed milk.

7. Mix all the fruits, shrimp, and salad dressing in a mixing bowl. The best shrimp salad is served cold, so it should be kept in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.

That is how to make a traditional Chinese banquet dinner dish from Malaysia. Now, you can easily prepare it at home for your guests or any special occasion, as the ingredients are readily available and the process is not difficult.

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Shrimp fruit salad (Chinese style) recipe with mayo dressing

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Shrimp fruit salad is served especially during traditional Cantonese banquet dinners. It is one of the few Chinese salads.

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Ingredients

• 500g shrimp (washed, remove shell and head, deveined)
• 150g pineapples
• 200 g honeydew
• 80gb Japanese cucumber
• 2 green apple
• 2 red apple
• 120g mayonnaise
• 3 tsp condensed milk
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp lemon rind
• Salt to soak the apples

Instructions

1. Wash the shrimp, remove the shell, head, tails, and devein. Then add a teaspoon of salt, mix well with the shrimp, and let it rest for five minutes. 
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the shrimp, and cook over medium heat. Generally, medium-sized shrimp are cooked once the water returns to a boil, usually taking about 45 seconds to a minute. 
3. Transfer them to a bowl of ice-cold water. 
4. Place it on a kitchen towel to dry as much as possible. 
5. Cut all the vegetables and fruits into about half an inch or smaller cubes. 
6. Prepare the salad dressing by combining the mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon rind,  and condensed milk.
7. Mix all the fruits, shrimp, and salad dressing into a mixing bowl. Keep in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 531Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 278mgSodium: 1539mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 7gSugar: 35gProtein: 31g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 08/17/2024

💡Tips and notes for the best Cantonese shrimp fruit salad

1. If you want to add potatoes to the list of fruits and vegetables, peel off the skin for a more presentable appearance and better mouthfeel. Cut the potatoes to about the same size as other fruits and cook them in water for about 15 minutes or until they can be pierced with a fork but are not mushy. Then, remove and drain them in a colander.
2. Another suitable addition is hard-boiled eggs. The best way to cook hard-boiled eggs is by first putting the egg in hot water at a barely simmering temperature. Adding a teaspoon of salt and some vinegar to the water can help make it easier to peel and reduce the chance of cracking. Once fully cooked, which will take around 15 minutes, remove the egg and place it in ice-cold water until the egg becomes very cold. This is an effective way to ensure the shell is easy to peel. I like to cook the eggs until the yolk is firm enough for me to cut the egg into small pieces.
3. If you are concerned that the cut apple will turn brown when serving, you can prevent it by adding half a teaspoon of salt to a cup of water and using it to soak it. After that, rinse away the salt before use. The salt prevents it from turning color by stopping the apple from oxidation.
4. Make sure to use ripe pineapple and sweet apples for this salad.
5. NOTE: Lemon juice is acidic, which will denature the protein of the shrimp and make it less crunchy. If you encounter this problem, please only add the shrimp to the fruit right before serving, or place the shrimp on top of the fruit salad. This prevents the shrimp from reacting with the lemon juice and doubles up as a way to garnish and present the salad.

📜  More recipes for you 

If you like this shrimp fruit salad recipe, I have some other simple recipes for you to try.

• Cantonese mango pudding
• Pan-fried Shrimp with Premium Soy Sauce