Pea Shoot Salad with Fish Sauce Dressing

In the second installment of Demystified: Fish Sauce, we’re going to use it in a salad dressing over pea shoots. This season, pea shoots are at their prime, harvested before the peas fully develop, offering a delicate flavor and texture. You can easily find them at Asian markets or local farmer's markets. As peas grow, their vines produce abundant shoots, making them a delightful addition to spring and early summer dishes.

Fish sauce and sesame flavors are a match made in culinary heaven. Tahini's nutty profile enriches the savory, umami notes of fish sauce. Kudos to Andy Baraghani for the recipe inspiration! I appreciate his spotlight on the delightful nuances of nuoc cham with its sweet and salty essence. With a few ingredient adjustments, I've crafted a spicier, more substantial salad.

Given the challenge of finding pea shoots, you can easily substitute them with a salad comprising sugar snap peas, fresh spinach, or thinly sliced green cabbage. Equally, this dressing complements a rice bowl beautifully. However, be mindful that as the salad sits, it absorbs more dressing, so you might use it all. Despite its slightly salty nature, the absence of salt in the cooked pea shoots or snap peas ensures a well-balanced flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 pound pea shoots, rinsed and spun, divided

• 1 pound sugar snap peas

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled

• 1 Thai bird’s eye chili

• 2/3 cup tahini*

• Juice of 1 lime

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 3 Crabs

• Two tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

• Fried shallots, for garnish

* You want your tahini the consistency of honey. I had to add a touch of water to my jar in order to get rid of some of the chunks.

Special Equipment

• Wok and wok spatula

Serve 4 people

Directions

1. To make the dressing, blend the tahini, garlic, chili, sugar, and fish sauce together. Adjust seasonings before blending again and setting aside.

2. Heat the wok over high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and stir-fry your sugar snap peas for two to three minutes or until you get a little bit of char. Transfer to a large salad bowl.

3. Add another tablespoon of oil and stir-fry half of your pea shoots for three to four minutes or until the greens are wilted and have a bit of char. Transfer to the salad bowl.

4. Allow the stir-fried greens to cool for a few minutes. Spoon in a bit of the dressing. Then, add in the raw pea shoots and a bit more of the dressing. Using your hands, toss all of greens together. Transfer to your serving plate. Make sure you taste as you go so you don’t overdress the salad.

5. Sprinkle the top of the salad with fried shallots and a few more drizzles of the dressing and serve!