Cucumber salad
Cucumber salad is a refreshing dish that balances tangy lime juice, savory fish sauce, and spicy chili peppers, enhanced with fresh coriander leaves. Quick to prepare, it offers a crisp texture and vibrant flavors, making it perfect as a light side or appetizer.
Cook time 0 min
Prep time 10 min
Ingredients:
1 tbsp lime juice1 tbsp vinegar
1/3 cup fish sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 red hot chili peppers
1 onion
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1 cucumber
Cucumber salad is a refreshing and vibrant dish perfect for a light side, appetizer, or snack. It's a harmony of flavors combining tangy lime juice, pungent vinegar, savory fish sauce, sweet sugar, and spicy chili peppers, topped with fresh coriander leaves. It's quick to make and offers a delightful crunch with every bite.
Instructions:
- Finely slice the red hot chili peppers. Be cautious and consider wearing gloves to avoid contact with the chili oils.
- Thinly slice the onion.
- Wash and finely chop the coriander leaves.
- Slice the cucumber into thin half-moons or bite-sized pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sliced cucumber, sliced onion, and chopped chili peppers.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the mixture and toss to thoroughly coat the vegetables.
- Add the chopped coriander leaves to the salad, gently tossing to mix them in evenly.
- Let the salad sit for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. For a cooler, more refreshing salad, you can refrigerate it for an hour before serving.
This cucumber salad is not only easy to prepare, but also nutritious and flavorful. The combination of fresh ingredients ensures a healthy and satisfying side dish that can complement any meal. Don't hesitate to experiment with the ingredients to match your personal taste preferences.
Cucumber salad FAQ:
You can store cucumber salad in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep it in an airtight container to maintain freshness. However, note that the cucumbers may become slightly soggy over time.
If you need a substitute for fish sauce, try using soy sauce for a vegetarian option or a mixture of soy sauce and a splash of lime juice for added tang.
You don't need a specific pan size for this salad, but a large mixing bowl works best for combining all the ingredients evenly.
To adjust the spiciness, you can reduce the number of chili peppers used or omit them entirely. Alternatively, you can add a small amount of sugar to balance the heat.
For this salad, English cucumbers or Persian cucumbers are ideal because they have fewer seeds and a thinner skin, which makes for a crisper texture.
Cooking Tips:
- For an extra crunch, consider adding some toasted peanuts or cashews on top.
- Marinate the cucumber slices in the dressing for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
- If you prefer a milder salad, remove the seeds from the chili peppers before chopping.
- Thinly slice the onion to ensure it doesn’t overpower the delicate cucumber flavor.
- Use fresh coriander leaves for the best taste and aroma; dried coriander can alter the intended flavor profile.
Nutrition Facts
4 ServingsCalories 70kcal
Protein 2.27g
Carbohydrates 16g
Fiber 1.39g
Sugar 13g
Fat 0.25g
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