Jumping Salad

Have you ever tasted jumping salad? Or do you know what is jumping salad?

Of course, literally it means the salad is jumping. In food, this is a live shrimps jumping from the bowl while being served in the table.

freshwater

This food is distinction for Filipino particularly of Ilocano in northern Philippines.  This is one of the favourite food of many but not actually a salad recipe but a raw food of marine species particularly of shrimp family—saltwater shrimps, seawater shrimps or maybe even vanamei.

Jumping salad is a recipe for the average size of live shrimps that reacted when poured with vinegar, salt or any citrus fruit like calamansi or lemon. .

It’s called jumping salad because the shrimp are actually jumping in the bowl.  Of course the shrimp is served alive and eaten raw.  And of course again the shrimps are freshly caught from the fond or river to make sure they are alive. 

The shrimps after being washed is just added with right amount of salt and the best vinegar in the locality.  Add some onions or ginger and a bit of seasoning of choice. Because they are just being caught and alive, the salt and the vinegar will make them jump.  This is the jumping of the shrimps. 

Now you know why we have the so called ‘jumping salad’ dish.