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Southeast Asian Squid Salad

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Southeast Asian Squid SaladRomulo Yanes

Lightly blanched squid makes a simple and elegant salad with the tang of fish sauce and fresh lime juice.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    1 hr

  • Yield

    Makes 4 main-course servings

Ingredients

1

/4 cup fresh lime juice

2

1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (preferably nam pla)

1

1/2 to 2 tablespoons sugar

1

/2 teaspoon salt

1 to 2

(1 1/2- to 2-inch-long) fresh Thai or serrano chiles, finely chopped, including seeds

2

tablespoons vegetable oil

1

1/2 lb medium squid (about 16), rinsed inside and out

2

carrots, halved crosswise

1

seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped), halved crosswise

1

(6 oz) head of Boston lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (3 1/2 cups)

1

cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

1

cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

4

scallions, thinly sliced diagonally

1

/2 cup coarsely chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts (2 oz)

Accompaniment: lime wedges

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Make dressing:

    Step 1

    Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sugar (to taste), salt, and chile (to taste) in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined.

  2. Cut and cook squid:

    Step 2

    Pull off and reserve flaps from squid bodies if attached. Cut squid bodies crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick rings and halve flaps lengthwise. If tentacle clusters are large, halve lengthwise and cut longer tentacles, if attached, crosswise into 2-inch pieces.

    Step 3

    Bring a 4- to 5-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in squid and cook until it just turns opaque, about 30 seconds. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well, then toss in a bowl with 2 tablespoons dressing (reserve remainder).

  3. Assemble salad:

    Step 4

    Cut carrots and cucumber lengthwise into thin wide ribbons using a vegetable peeler.

    Step 5

    Toss together carrot and cucumber ribbons, lettuce, cilantro, mint, and scallions in a large bowl, then add squid and reserved dressing and toss again to coat. Sprinkle squid salad evenly with peanuts before serving.