Recipe: Thai Cucumber Salad
Gardens are really popping this summer, especially with cucumbers. Since a person can only make so many pickles, try this flavorful recipe that dips a toe in the tastes of Thailand and make the most of those cukes you don’t can. It’s light, cool, crisp and easy, once you get those cucumbers peeled and seeded.
Thai Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 3 large garden-fresh cucumbers
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup vinegar (use red wine, rice wine – any wine-based one is great)
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
Directions
- Wash, peel and halve the cucumbers lengthwise, then remove the seeds and cut into slices about a quarter-inch thick.
- Toss the slices with the salt in a colander. Let them drain in the sink for 20 minutes, then rinse and place slices on a dish towel. Cover them with another towel on top of them while you do the rest. This helps remove some of their natural water.
- Remove stem, seeds and pith of peppers, taking care to avoid getting oil on hands and touching your face. Chop the peppers finely, and then chop the cilantro, using only leaves and small stems.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar and vinegar until the sugar dissolves. Add cucumbers, pepper and cilantro and toss to combine.
- Save the peanuts until you’re about to serve and top each serving with them. Enjoy!
Source: Based on a recipe from Allrecipes.com, modified by the author.