Serves 4

Think spring! The dressing in this salad is fresh and lively, but not overpowering. This salad is also nice with a drained can of mandarin orange segments tossed in.

Many Peas Asian-Style Salad

1 cup sugar snap peas

½ cup snow peas

½ cup fresh green peas

2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

6 cups pea shoots or other sweet baby lettuce

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the sugar snap peas and boil for 2 minutes. Add the snow peas and green peas and boil for 1 minute more. Drain and rinse in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
  2. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the sesame seeds, vinegar, oil, sugar, and soy sauce. Add the peas and the greens and toss to coat.

illustration Substituting Dried Lemongrass for Fresh

If you can't find lemongrass, substitute 1 tablespoon of dried lemongrass per stalk of fresh or several strips of peel from a lemon or lime.