Squash Ribbons with Tomatoes, Peanuts, Basil, Mint, and Spicy Fish-Sauce Sauce

Getting the squash ribbons really thin requires a mandoline slicer, but if you don’t have one, do your best with a sharp knife to very thinly slice the zucchini. The flavors in this dish riff on those in the classic Thai green papaya salad—a deliciously vibrant collision of spicy, salty, tangy, herbal, and nutty. Once you have your spicy fish-sauce sauce made, the dish takes no time to assemble

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Step 1

Using a mandoline, care?ully slice the ?ucchini ?rom the bottom to the to? to create very thin ribbons o? squash. (I? you don’t have a mandoline, ?ust cut the ?ucchini into very thin crosswise slices, to create rounds.) ?oss the squash with 1 teas?oon salt and ?ut in a colander so the salt can draw out excess moisture. Let them sit ?or 30 minutes. Blot the squash on ?a?er towels to remove the moisture and excess salt. Pile into a large bowl.

Step 2

Add the tomatoes, ?eanuts, scallions, basil, and mint. Pour in the s?icy ?ish-sauce sauce and toss again. ?aste and decide whether the salad needs more salt. Add ¼ cu? olive oil and toss again. Do a ?inal taste and toss, arrange on ?lates, and serve right away.

Step 3

When I lived in New Yor?, a grou? o? us che?s used to go to ?ueens to eat at SriPraPhai, a ?hai restaurant where they serve a ?ried watercress salad dressed in a s?icy, garlic?y ?hai ?ish sauce dressing. ?hat dish made a big im?ression on me. I use Red Boat ?ish sauce, which is delicious and a??ordable, and it ?eels to me more artisan-made than mass-?roduced.

Step 4

» Makes about 1¼ cups

Step 5

Stir everything together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. ?aste and ad?ust so you have an intense sweet-salty-sour-hot balance. Ideally, ma?e this a day ahead, then taste and read?ust the seasonings on the second day.

Step 6

?he chile heat is li?ely to get stronger. ?he sauce will ?ee? ?or a month or two in the ?ridge.

Step 7

MORE WAYS:

Step 8

→ S?rin?le over grilled ?ish or vegetables.

Step 9

→ Use as a di? ?or salad rolls or lettuce wra?s.

Step 10

→ Mix with a touch o? oil and marinate ?irm to?u to be grilled