Southeast Asian Shrimp And Grapefruit Salad

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds shrimp
• Salt
• 3 tablespoons nam pla (fish sauce) or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Juice of 2 limes
• 6 cups lettuce or mesclun, washed and dried
• 2 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned, tough white pith removed, each section cut in half
• 1/4 cup chopped mint
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Minced chilies or dried red pepper flakes, optional
• 1/2 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts, optional

1. Put shrimp in a saucepan with salted water to cover; bring to a boil, then turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes, or until shrimp are opaque in center.
2. (Alternatively, grill or saute, sprinkling shrimp with salt as they cook.)
3. Cool in refrigerator or under cold running water, then peel (and devein if you like).
4. Cut shrimp in half if they're large.
5. Combine nam pla or soy sauce with 2 tablespoons water, sugar and lime juice, and blend or whisk until smooth.
6. Arrange the lettuce on 4 plates; top each portion with a few grapefruit pieces, some shrimp, and the mint and cilantro; drizzle with the dressing, then sprinkle with a little of the minced chilies and chopped peanuts if you like, or pass them at the table.

shrimp, salt, fish sauce, sugar, section, mint, cilantro, chilies, peanuts

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10778 (may not work)