SWEET AND SOUR FRESH CUCUMBER SALAD.
This is the fresh salad traditionally served as an accompaniment to satays of all kinds. It also goes very well with cold meats and a number of other dishes.
Ingredients.
1large cucumber, or it’s equivalent in small pickling cucumbers, peeled and seeds removed.
½ a small red onion, or 2 shallots peeled, halved and cut into paper thin slices.
2fresh red or green Serrano chillies or 1 jalapeno chilli pepper, cut into very thin rounds. The seeds may be removed if less heat is desired.
1cup of rice vinegar or white vinegar.
½ cup of water.
4tablespoons of granulated sugar.
¼ teaspoon of ground turmeric.
1clove of garlic.
½ teaspoon of salt.
Method.
1. Cut the cucumber crosswise into paper-thin slices and place in a bowl. Cover with the onion and chilli pepper slices.
2. In small saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
3. Pour over the vegetables in the bowl and let cool. Refrigerate it and keep it covered.
To give it Chinese flavor miss out the turmeric and fresh chilli peppers.
Add 2 teaspoons of hot pepper paste( given below recipe and 1(3/4) teaspoon of sesame oil. Let all the ingredients blend and marinate the cucumber, without cooking, for at least 5 hours.
Hot pepper paste.
Ingredients.
30 dried red chilli peppers.
Hot water( sufficient to just cover the peppers).
White vinegar ( sufficient to make a paste).
2 teaspoons of salt.
Method.
1. Place the chilli peppers in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 15 minutes.
2. Remove and drain, then place them, together with 4 tablespoons of the vinegar, in a blender. Blend them to rough paste, adding as much vinegar as necessary to achieve a paste like consistency and let the blender work easily.
3. Add the salt and give the blades a few final turns. Keep the paste in air tight and sterilized jar.
