By Chef Ian — Underground Chef
It’s mango season — and here in Australia that means sunshine, sticky fingers, and some of the freshest, sweetest fruit of the year. Mangoes are at their peak right now, so today I’m pairing this mighty summer hero with prawns, fresh herbs and silky vermicelli for a bright, refreshing Vietnamese Prawn & Mango Salad.
This dish is a perfect example of balance:
fresh + sweet + salty + tangy → all working together beautifully.
It’s light, simple, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser when the weather’s warm.
And in this month’s “What’s in Season” segment, you’ll also see my favourite way to cut a mango — cleanly lifting the cheeks with a spoon for perfect strips every time.
Vietnamese Prawn & Mango Salad
Ingredients
- 1 mango
- 250g cooked prawns
- 100g vermicelli noodles
- 90g mixed lettuce
- 100g continental cucumber, deseeded
- 15g Vietnamese mint
- 15g coriander
- 50g bean sprouts
- Juice of 1 lime
- 75ml Pandaroo Vietnamese Salad Dressing
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Method
- Soak vermicelli noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain.
- Cut mango into strips. Slice the deseeded cucumber.
- In a large bowl combine:
- lettuce
- cucumber
- vermicelli
- bean sprouts
- Vietnamese mint
- coriander
- mango
- prawns
- Squeeze lime juice over the top.
- Add the dressing and gently toss to coat everything evenly.
- Leave to sit for 5 minutes to let the flavours settle.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Transfer to serving bowls and arrange prawns and mango beautifully on top for that visual “wow”.
Chef’s Tricks (makes it even better)
- Keep it cool: chill the prawns and dressing first if it’s a hot day — this salad loves being cold.
- Don’t drown it: add dressing, toss, then decide if it needs more. You want it glossy, not soupy.
- Cut mango cleanly: the spoon-cheek trick gives neat strips without turning it into mush.
- Herbs last: add mint and coriander just before serving if you want them extra fresh.
Why this works (summer perfection)
- In-season mango = maximum sweetness and flavour
- Vietnamese mint + coriander = freshness
- Lime + dressing = acidity and salt
- Vermicelli + prawns = softness + protein
- Cold salad + hot weather = the easiest win of summer
This one will be on repeat.
Final word from Chef Ian
“When mangoes are this good, let them be the hero — keep it fresh, keep it bright, and enjoy every sticky-finger bite.”
Chef Ian
