Gamtae Avocado Shrimp Salad
Quick answer
Gamtae avocado shrimp salad pairs blanched shrimp with sliced avocado, romaine, and cherry tomatoes in a lime-soy dressing, finished with crumbled gamtae seaweed.
What makes this special
- Crumbled Korean seaweed gives Gamtae Avocado Shrimp Salad a uniquely crisp, oceanic finish.
- Korean gamtae seaweed crumbles by hand and must be added just before serving to stay crisp
- Shrimp chilled in ice water immediately after 2-minute blanching locks in a snappy bite
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Remove shells and veins from 10 medium shrimp, blanch in boiling water for 2...
- 2 Tear romaine leaves into bite-sized pieces by hand and halve 6 cherry tomatoes, placing them cut-side up.
- 3 Slice 1 avocado into 1.5 cm pieces and thinly slice 1/4 red onion to 2 mm, s...
Gamtae avocado shrimp salad pairs blanched shrimp with sliced avocado, romaine, and cherry tomatoes in a lime-soy dressing, finished with crumbled gamtae seaweed. Blanching the shrimp for exactly two minutes and plunging them immediately into cold water keeps the exterior springy while preserving a moist, tender interior - longer cooking makes them rubbery and dry. The dressing of lime juice, soy sauce, olive oil, and honey layers sharp citrus acidity against soy umami, cutting neatly through the richness of the avocado rather than letting it weigh down the bowl. Gamtae seaweed absorbs moisture rapidly and turns limp within minutes, so it must be crumbled over the salad only at the very moment of serving to retain its crunch and oceanic fragrance. Thinly sliced red onion should be rinsed briefly in cold water to remove the raw, sharp edge, letting it blend more quietly with the other ingredients. Domestic gamtae has a finer, more delicate structure than regular dried laver, so it crumbles cleanly by hand without any tool.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Remove shells and veins from 10 medium shrimp, blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes until pink, then immediately transfer to ice water to cool.
- 2Prep
Tear romaine leaves into bite-sized pieces by hand and halve 6 cherry tomatoes, placing them cut-side up.
- 3Prep
Slice 1 avocado into 1.5 cm pieces and thinly slice 1/4 red onion to 2 mm, soaking in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow the sharpness.
- 4Season
Mix 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp olive oil, and 1 tsp honey until combined, then refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.
- 5Step
Place romaine, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and onion in a large bowl, add the dressing, and gently toss until every piece is evenly coated.
- 6Finish
Transfer to a plate, crumble gamtae seaweed evenly on top by hand, and serve immediately before the seaweed loses its crunch.
After the steps
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