Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (preferably nam pla)
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 2 (1 1/2- to 2-inch-long) fresh Thai or serrano chiles, finely chopped, including seeds
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lb medium squid (about 16), rinsed inside and out
• 2 carrots, halved crosswise
• 1 seedless cucumber (usually plastic-wrapped), halved crosswise
• 1 (6 oz) head of Boston lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (3 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped salted dry-roasted peanuts (2 oz)
• Accompaniment: lime wedges

Instructions

1. Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sugar (to taste), salt, and chile (to taste) in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined.
2. Cut and cook squid: Pull off and reserve flaps from squid bodies if attached. Cut squid bodies crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick rings and halve flaps lengthwise. If tentacle clusters are large, halve lengthwise and cut longer tentacles, if attached, crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Bring a 4- to 5-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in squid and cook until it just turns opaque, about 30 seconds. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well, then toss in a bowl with 2 tablespoons dressing (reserve remainder).
3. Pull off and reserve flaps from squid bodies if attached. Cut squid bodies crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick rings and halve flaps lengthwise. If tentacle clusters are large, halve lengthwise and cut longer tentacles, if attached, crosswise into 2-inch pieces.
4. Bring a 4- to 5-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in squid and cook until it just turns opaque, about 30 seconds. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well, then toss in a bowl with 2 tablespoons dressing (reserve remainder).
5. Assemble salad: Cut carrots and cucumber lengthwise into thin wide ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Toss together carrot and cucumber ribbons, lettuce, cilantro, mint, and scallions in a large bowl, then add squid and reserved dressing and toss again to coat. Sprinkle squid salad evenly with peanuts before serving.
6. Cut carrots and cucumber lengthwise into thin wide ribbons using a vegetable peeler.
7. Toss together carrot and cucumber ribbons, lettuce, cilantro, mint, and scallions in a large bowl, then add squid and reserved dressing and toss again to coat. Sprinkle squid salad evenly with peanuts before serving.