This recipe calls for chopping or dicing the vegetables, as these cuts are less time-intensive. To dress up the presentation a bit, slice the cucumber thinly on the diagonal, cut the tomato into thin wedges, and julienne the zucchini and bell pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped cucumber (peel only if skin is bitter)
- 1 cup chopped tomato
- 1 cup diced zucchini (unpeeled)
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup coarsely grated carrot
- 1/4 cup coarsely grated daikon radish
- 3 T. thinly sliced green onions (include some of the green part)
Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 to 4 T. brown sugar (to taste)
- 3 T. light soy sauce
- 3 T. rice wine vinegar
- 2 T. vegetable oil
- 1 T. minced fresh hot chile pepper, any variety (optional)
- 2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
- 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
- 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne (to taste)
Garnish
- large lettuce leaves, washed, dried and chilled
- 2 T. coarsely minced fresh basil
- 2 T. coarsely minced fresh cilantro
- 2 T. coarsely minced fresh mint
- 1/2 cup finely chopped roasted peanuts or cashews
Preparation
In a large bowl, toss vegetables together. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake until well-combined. Pour vinaigrette over vegetables and toss to coat. Chill for at least one hour; toss again before assembling servings.
Create individual servings by placing lettuce leaves on chilled salad plates and using a slotted spoon to place the desired quantity of salad on top of the lettuce. Toss together the chopped fresh herbs, and sprinkle generously over salad; top with chopped peanuts or cashews.
