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Thai-Style Sprouted Rice and Herb Salad

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.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked sprouted brown rice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 ½ cups tightly packed, coarsely chopped watercress leaves, baby spinach, arugula or a mix
  • 1 ½ cups edamame
  • 1 sweet red bell pepper, cut in thin 2-inch-long strips
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
  • ¼ 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

For the dressing

  • 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
  • ⅓ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar, turbinado sugar or dark agave nectar
  • ½ teaspoon minced lemon grass, from the tender inner part of the stalk
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon crumbled dried red chili
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

      244 calories; 7 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 484 milligrams sodium

      • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

Serves six to eight

Preparation

  1. Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. 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.
  3. Line a platter with lettuce leaves, top with the salad and serve.
  • Advance preparation: You can combine all of the salad ingredients several hours before serving and refrigerate. Toss with the dressing just before serving.

10 minutes

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