Pickled Vegetable-Seafood Salad

• HEALTHY
• MAKE-AHEAD

Ingredients

1. 4 large celery ribs, cut into 3-by-1/2-inch sticks
2. 2 large carrots, cut into thin julienne (on a mandoline)
3. 2 teaspoons kosher salt
4. 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons sugar
5. 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white vinegar
6. 2 large cucumbers—peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 3-by-1/2-inch sticks
7. 1/2 pound medium shrimp—shelled, deveined and halved lengthwise
8. 1/2 pound small, cleaned squid, bodies sliced into 1/4-inch rings, tentacles left whole
9. 2 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
10. 2 red Thai chiles or 1 medium jalapeño, thickly sliced
11. 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
12. 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
13. 2 tablespoons water
14. 1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped

1. In a medium bowl, toss the celery and carrots with 1 teaspoon each of the salt and sugar. Add the vinegar and gently squeeze the vegetables with your hands to work in the seasonings. Let stand for 5 minutes. In another bowl, toss the cucumbers with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt; work the salt into the cucumbers. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Rinse the celery, carrots and cucumbers under cold water and squeeze dry. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl.
3. In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the shrimp just until pink and curled, about 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to the bowl with the vegetables. Add the squid to the water and cook until opaque, about 1 minute; transfer to the bowl.
4. In a mortar, pound the garlic to a paste with the chiles and the remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and water. Add the dressing to the bowl and toss well. Sprinkle the peanuts over the salad and serve.