Southeast Asian Squid Salad

Ingredients

• 2.5 tablespoons asian fish sauce (preferably nam pla)
• 6 oz boston lettuce ()
• 2  carrots halved
• 1  cucumber seedless halved (usually plastic-wrapped)
• 2 oz dry-roasted peanuts salted coarsely chopped
• 1 cup cilantro leaves fresh loosely packed
• 1 cup mint leaves fresh loosely packed
• 0.3 cup juice of lime fresh
• 4 servings accompaniment: lime wedges 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 4  scallions thinly sliced
• 1  serrano chiles fresh finely chopped
• 1.5 lb squid rings rinsed ( 16)
• 1.5 tablespoons sugar 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

Equipment

• bowl
• whisk
• pot
• colander
• peeler

Directions

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. Pull off and reserve flaps from squid bodies if attached.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking.
6. Drain well, then toss in a bowl with 2 tablespoons dressing (reserve remainder).
7. Cut carrots and cucumber lengthwise into thin wide ribbons using a vegetable peeler.
8. 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.
9. Sprinkle squid salad evenly with peanuts before serving.