Recipe: Rice and Herbs Salad with Lime and Lemon Grass Dressing

RICE AND HERBS SALAD

FOR THE SALAD:
4 cups cooked jasmine rice
Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 cups packed, coarsely chopped watercress leaves
1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped long beans or green beans
2 large or 3 medium plum tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh Asian or sweet basil leaves
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 shallot, thinly sliced, separated into rings
1 teaspoon finely minced lemon grass
1 Serrano chili, minced

FOR THE DRESSING:
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon minced lemon grass
1/2 cup Thai fish sauce
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

For salad, mix together rice, lime juice and watercress in large bowl; mix well.

Heat 1 inch water in large saucepan over high heat to boil. Add beans; cook, covered, until slightly softened, about 1 minute; drain.

Add beans to rice, tossing to mix well. Add remaining salad ingredients; toss to mix.

For dressing, combine all ingredients except lime juice in non-reactive saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Pour into small bowl; stir in lime juice.

To serve, toss 3 tablespoons dressing into salad. Taste; add additional dressing, if needed. Pass remaining dressing.

Makes 8 servings
Adapted from source: Seductions of Rice by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid