Photo of Wheat berry and shrimp salad with Thai vinaigrette by WW

Wheat berry and shrimp salad with Thai vinaigrette

3
Points®
Total Time
1 hr 8 min
Prep
18 min
Cook
50 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
This make-ahead salad is so flavorful, it can even withstand an overnight in the refrigerator. Just keep in mind that the wheat berries will take around an hour to cook through properly. The salad also features poached shrimp, cucumber, radishes, and fresh basil and mint. The quick dressing is comprised of lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar and takes seconds to whip up. Fish sauce, the table condiment of Southeast Asia, is made from salted fish and aromatics. It's quite pungent, but it mellows wonderfully when combined with other ingredients. Look for it in the Asian aisle of most supermarkets as well as online.

Ingredients

Uncooked wheat berries

¾ cup(s), picked over for small stones

Uncooked shrimp

6 oz, medium-size, peeled and deveined

Fresh lime juice

3 Tbsp

Fish sauce

1½ Tbsp

Dark brown sugar

1 tsp, packed

Cucumber

1 medium, peeled, halved, seeded and chopped

Radishes

6 medium, thinly sliced

Basil

¼ cup(s), leaves, packed, chopped

Peppermint leaves

2 Tbsp, fresh, chopped

Instructions

  1. Place the wheat berries in a medium pot, cover with 3 inches of water, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring once or twice. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until tender, about 50 minutes. Drain and cool to room temperature.
  2. Meanwhile, rinse the saucepan, fill it halfway with water, and bring to a simmer over high heat. Add the shrimp, reduce the heat, and simmer until the shrimp are pink and firm, about 2 minutes. Drain in a second colander set in the sink and refresh under cool water. Roughly chop the shrimp.
  3. Whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
  4. Toss the wheat berries, shrimp, cucumber, radishes, basil, and mint in a salad bowl. Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss to coat. If desired, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.