THAI-STYLE SPROUTED RICE AND HERB SALAD

Thai-Style Sprouted Rice and Herb Salad image

This is inspired by a recipe in "Seductions of Rice," by Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford. The traditional dressing is made with four times as much fish sauce, which I've revised here to keep the sodium levels more manageable. I find any amount of fish sauce makes a dish hard to resist.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories dinner, easy, quick, salads and dressings

Time 10m

Yield Serves six to eight

Number Of Ingredients 20

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Ingredients

4 cups cooked sprouted brown rice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 cups tightly packed, coarsely chopped watercress leaves, baby spinach, arugula or a mix
1 1/2 cups edamame
1 sweet red bell pepper, cut in thin 2-inch-long strips
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
1/4 cup tightly packed fresh Asian or sweet basil leaves, or tarragon, coarsely chopped
1 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro
1 shallot, cut in thin rings, soaked for five minutes in cold water, drained and rinsed; or 1/4 cup finely sliced scallion optional
1 teaspoon finely minced lemon grass from the tender inner part of the stalk
1 bird or serrano chili, minced
Leaf lettuce for serving
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon brown sugar, turbinado sugar or dark agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon minced lemon grass, from the tender inner part of the stalk
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried red chili
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Steps:

Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
Combine the fish sauce and water in a small saucepan. Add the sugar, lemon grass, garlic and chili flakes, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Make sure the liquid does not boil down. Transfer to a bowl or measuring cup, and whisk in the canola oil and lime juice. Toss with the salad.
Line a platter with lettuce leaves, top with the salad and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 179, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 28 grams, Fat 5 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 5 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 359 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams