Asian Recipes - Cucumber Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 English cucumber, seeded and cubed in bite-size pieces

• Salt

• Lettuce leaves, crushed roasted peanuts and Thai roasted chili flakes; lime wedges on the side

Seasoning:

• 2 tbsp/30 ml fish sauce

• 14 cup/60 ml fresh lime juice

• 2 to 3 tsp/10 to 15 ml sugar

• 2 shallot onions, thinly sliced

• 1 to 2 green onions, finely sliced

• 2 tbsp/30 ml coarsely chopped mint

• 1 tbsp/15 ml coarsely chopped fresh coriander

• 2 small red chilies, thinly sliced

• 2 to 3 tbsp/30 ml to 45 ml ground, dried shrimp

Serves 4

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Method:

1. Lightly salt the cucumber and allow to drain in a colander for about 30 minutes.

2. Use a mortar and pestle or a small blender or food processor to pound the dried shrimp into a coarse floss. Measure 2 tbsp/30 ml of this shrimp floss

3. 3. Combine the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar, stirring well until the sugar dissolves. Add the shallot onions, green onions, mint, coriander and chilies. Set aside while you complete the recipe.

4. Drain the cucumber well, rolling it loosely in paper towel if the pieces are very wet. Place the cucumber in a non-reactive bowl and add the fish sauce mixture and the ground, dried shrimp.

5. Gently toss the salad and serve on the lettuce leaves, garnished with the crushed roasted peanuts, chili flakes and lime wedges.