Spicy Chinese Cucumbers

-
My boyfriend is Taiwanese and one of his fondest childhood memories of visiting relatives in New York is eating these cucumbers. I have searched the internet far and wide, tried several different types of cucumbers, and several different recipes before I found the perfect one. This recipe is as authentic as I can get to his aunt's spicy chinese cucumber recipe. Persian cucumbers are a must - they have an extra crispy crunch to them that makes this dish extra yummy. 

Spicy Chinese Cucumber Salad
http://userealbutter.com/2009/04/04/spicy-chinese-cucumber-salad-recipe/

2 lbs. cucumbers (my favorite are the Persian cucumbers)
1/2-1 tsp salt (to taste)
2-3 tbsps rice vinegar, to taste
1/2-1 tbsp sesame oil, to taste
1/2 tbsp sugar, to taste
2-3 tbsps soy sauce, to taste
1/2-1 tbsp chili paste, to taste (optional)

Wash and then peel the cucumber skins in alternating stripes (or peel completely or not
at all). Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds and pulp out with a
spoon. Slice the cucumbers into 1/4-inch pieces. Sprinkle the cucumber slices with the
salt and toss to coat evenly. Cover and place in refrigerator for an hour. After an hour,
squeeze the cucumber slices of as much liquid as possible with your hand. In a medium
bowl, combine the cucumber with the rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Add a little
soy sauce and mix the salad. Taste and add more soy sauce until you reach the desired
saltiness. Stir in the chili paste and serve cold or you can let it sit for a day in the sauce in the refrigerator – it will taste even better.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to parboil bones for a clean broth

-
This technique is a solid foundation for getting a clean, soup broth for any pork or beef bone-based broth. 1. In a large bowl, add raw bones and fill with cold water. Add salt and vinegar to clean and lightly scrub. 2. Rinse 1 additional time with cold water. 3. In a large stock pot, boil water. Add bones to the broth. Boil for about 2-3 minuets to remove the impurities. 4. Dump the bones and water into a clean sink and rinse the bones with cold water to remove any residue. Best to also lightly rub off the residue with your hands. 
Read more

Corn Potage Soup (a la Curry House!)

-
My boo LOVES corn potage soup at Curry House so I decided to try my hand at it. Very minimal amount of ingredients and very quick to make! Made the mistake of buying frozen sweet white corn and it came out a little too sweet. Next time will try just regular corn. And also set some corn aside (before you puree it) to give it a little more texture. My imitation of Curry House's Corn Potage Soup Ingredients: - 2 tbs unsalted butter - 1/2 medium onion, diced - 2 tbs flour - 2 cups frozen or fresh corn - 1.5 cup chicken stock - 1.5 cup milk - salt and pepper to taste - green onion for garnish 1. Heat butter over medium heat. 2. When butter has melted, add diced onion. Cook until unions are translucent and then turn heat to low. 3. Add flour and stir to mix - will look a like paste 4. Slowly add chicken stock and stir while adding to prevent lumps 5. After all the stock as been added, turn heat to medium high and bring to boil 6. Once broth is boiling, add corn and
Read more

Rau Muong Xao Toi (Stir-fried Water Spinach and Garlic)

-
Image
There are a couple variations of this recipe. Rau muong (water spinach) is a simple vegetable dish that goes great with fried fish or meat. In Vietnam, this was once a staple vegetable of the poor. Now, it's present in many Vietnamese cuisines as a garnish, side dish, or main ingredient. No matter how you decide to stir fry your water spinach, you must start with blanching the rau muong. Food is blanched to soften, or to party or fully cook it, or to remove a strong taste. Blanching is the process in which you plunge food (can be done with fruit, veggies, pasta) into boiling water and then remove after a brief interval. Food is then submerged in iced water or washed under cold water. Placing it under cold water effectively haltens the cooking process. Ingredients: 1 big bunch of water spinach 2-3 cloves of garlic Oil Red bird's eye chili pepper (optional) sugar bot nem ga fish sauce (variation 1) maggi seasoning (variation 2) Blanching the water spinach 1. C
Read more