Cool Greens with Hot Asian Dressing

You can put whatever you like in this as long as it’s green—kale, Chinese leaf, small zucchini, raw young peas, fava beans, whatever. You can reduce the range, too, so you don’t have to use all the herbs. Take care with the dressing. It needs a good sweet-sour-salty-hot balance, so taste and adjust it as you go before tossing with the vegetables.

Ingredients

For the dressing

• 1 1/2 generous tablespoons superfine sugar, or to taste

• Juice of 2 to 3 limes (they vary a lot in juiciness), or to taste

• 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste

• 3/4-inch piece ginger root, peeled and finely grated

• 2 red chiles, seeded and very finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 3/4 tablespoon sunflower or peanut oil

For the greens

• 1/2  cup edamame beans

• 1 avocado

• Juice of 1 lime

• Salt and pepper

• 3 1/2 oz sugar snap peas, sliced lengthwise

• 2 3/4 oz mooli (daikon), cut into matchsticks, or radishes, finely sliced

• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped

• 3 scallions, trimmed and chopped

• 1 3/4 oz baby spinach, or mixed green salad leaves

• Leaves from 1 bunch each of cilantro, basil, and mint

• Sesame seeds, ideally mixed black and white

Simple: Effortless Food, Big Flavors

Directions

Using a fork, whisk the sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons of boiling water to help the sugar dissolve. Add the lime juice (reserve a little, as limes vary in juiciness). Add the fish sauce, ginger, chiles, and garlic, then beat in the oil. Taste for sweet-salty balance. You might want more lime juice, or even more sugar or fish sauce. Use your taste buds, but remember this is a strong dressing.

Boil the edamame beans for three minutes, drain, and let cool. Halve the avocado, pit it, then slice. Peel each slice, squeeze lime juice over, and season. Put all the vegetables, leaves, and herbs into a broad shallow bowl. Toss with the dressing, scatter with the sesame seeds, and serve.