Here’s a cucumber salad that’s different. the cucumbers were spiral cut and then salt and sugar was added so the liquid would release. It taste like refreshing Thai flavored and the salad gets finished with roasted peanuts, sweetened shredded coconut and a few Thai Basil leaves. You only make this salad if you are really loaded up with cucumber because 5 pounds of cucumber shrunk down to only 6 servings.
Ingredients for around 6 servings
5 lbs of cucumber – preferably English – spiral cut and chopped like once in half or sliced very thin on mandolin
1 Tablespoon course sea salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 medium white onion – sliced very thin on mandolin
2 stalks lemongrass – peel hard layer off and microplane… you really only use the white end about three inches
1 jalapeño – microplane or fine chop
2 garlic cloves – microplane or ground to paste
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger – grated
4 Tablespoons coconut milk
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup Thai Basil – torn or chopped
12 Tablespoons roasted peanuts (2 Tablespoons for each serving)
12 Tablespoons shredded coconut (toasted and sweetened) (2 Tablespoons for each serving)
Directions
The spiral cut or thinly sliced cucumber go in a very large bowl with the salt and sugar and mix well. It needs to sit on a counter for a 1/2 hour. Lots of water needs to be drained after a half hour.
Add the sliced onion and mix well. Set to the side.
In a small bowl mix together the lemongrass, jalapeño, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, vinegar, oil and soy sauce and mix well.
By now the cucumbers will need to be drained again so drain them again. Now mix in small bowl mixture to cucumbers.
To serve top with roasted peanuts, toasted coconut and fresh Thai Basil leaves.
