Thai Cucumber Salad From New York Times Food

CUCUMBER SALAD WITH ROASTED PEANUTS AND CHILE

Steps:

• Toss cucumbers with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a colander. Set aside to drain.
• Chop peanuts, cilantro and red-pepper flakes together until very fine. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Add up to 1 tablespoon water, if needed to thin mixture. Transfer salted cucumbers to the bowl with dressing and toss to coat.
• To serve, place half the cucumber salad on the plate, sprinkle with half the peanut mixture. Repeat with the remaining cucumber salad and peanut mixture. Drizzle with chile oil, if using, and serve immediately.

NICK NETHONGKOME'S THAI-STYLE CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Trim off the ends of the cucumbers and scrape them. Quarter the cucumbers lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Cut the cucumbers crosswise into thin slices. There should be about two cups. Put the slices into a mixing bowl and add the pepper.
• Combine the sugar, salt, vinegar, water and shallots in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
• Pour the sauce over the cucumber mixture and stir. Sprinkle with coriander.

THAI CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Wash and dry cilantro, and chop; wash and dry mint, and chop; mince garlic.
• Combine the cilantro, mint, garlic, lime juice and sugar in a salad bowl.
• Wash, trim and cut the tomatoes into small chunks. Wash, trim and slice the cucumber thinly. Mix the tomatoes and the cucumber with the dressing.

CUCUMBER SALAD WITH SOY, GINGER AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Sprinkle the cucumbers with a generous amount of salt and let sit in a colander in the sink for 15 minutes. Rinse and dry on a kitchen towel. Transfer to a salad bowl.
• Whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, cayenne, and pepper. Whisk in the sesame oil and the sunflower or grapeseed oil. Toss with the cucumbers, scallions, and cilantro. Chill until ready to serve.

THAI CUCUMBER SALAD WITH SOUR CHILLI DRESSING

Steps:

• Mix the dressing ingredients together, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
• Place the salad ingredients in a bowl, then pour over the dressing, mixing well to combine. Serve immediately.

CHINESE SMASHED CUCUMBERS WITH SESAME OIL AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Rinse cucumbers and pat dry. Cut crosswise into pieces about 4 inches long. Cut each piece in half lengthwise.
• On a work surface, place a piece of cucumber (or several) cut side down. Lay the blade of a large knife flat on top the cucumber and smash down lightly with your other hand. The skin will begin to crack, the flesh will break down and the seeds will separate. Repeat until the whole piece is smashed. Break or slice diagonally into bite-size pieces, leaving the seeds behind.
• Place the cucumber pieces in a strainer and toss with a big pinch of salt and a big pinch of sugar. Place a plastic bag filled with ice on top of the cucumbers to serve as a weight and place the strainer over a bowl. Let drain 15 to 30 minutes on the counter, or in the refrigerator until ready to serve, up to 4 hours.
• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine salt, sugar and rice vinegar. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in sesame oil and soy sauce.
• When ready to serve, shake cucumbers well to drain off any remaining liquid and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with grapeseed or olive oil and toss. Add half the dressing, half the garlic and the red pepper flakes to taste, and toss. Keep adding dressing until cucumbers are well coated but not drowned. Taste and add more pepper flakes and garlic if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro and sesame seeds.

COLD NOODLE SALAD WITH SPICY PEANUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Add the soba, stir to prevent sticking, and cook according to package instructions until just tender. Rinse under cold water until the noodles are completely cold.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, sesame oil, chile oil or hot sauce, and garlic. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and whisk until the sauce is a pourable consistency. Taste and add more chile oil or hot sauce as desired; set aside.
• Cut the zucchini or cucumber and radishes into 1/8-inch thick slices, then cut into thin matchsticks. Slice the peppers into 1/8-inch pieces. Place them all in a large bowl.
• Loosen the soba noodles by running them under some water, then allow to drain again. Add them to the vegetables, add the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and toss to combine.
• When you are ready to serve, drizzle with spicy peanut sauce and top with peanuts, scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately, with lime wedges alongside.

SPICY THAI CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Place sliced cucumber on a platter.
• Meanwhile combine vinegar, sugar, water and salt in a small saucepan and heat until sugar and salt are dissolved.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Place shallots and chili pepper in vinegar mixture and stir.
• Pour mixture over cucumbers just before serving and sprinkle with peanuts and fresh cilantro.
• Don't be concerned about the strong smell when heating the vinegar.

TOMATO SALAD WITH CUCUMBER AND GINGER

Steps:

• Create stripes on the exterior of the cucumbers by running the tines of a fork along the length of the skin. Halve the cucumbers lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer to a colander and toss with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the lime zest and juice, fish sauce, coconut oil, chile, garlic and the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.
• Just before serving, add the tomatoes, basil, cilantro, red onion, ginger, cucumbers and half the nuts to the dressing; toss to coat. Transfer to a bowl or platter, top with remaining nuts and serve immediately.

THAI CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk the first 7 ingredients (lime juice through jalapeno) in a large bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Trim the ends from the cucumber.
• Split lengthwise in half.
• Slice very thinly.
• Toss into the dressing.
• Halve the red pepper vertically, core and remove seeds and white membranes.
• Slice the pepper, horizontally, into very thin strips.
• Add to the dressing and toss.
• Peel the carrot and trim off ends.
• Slice diagonally into very thin slices.
• Add to the rest of the salad.
• Peel the onion and cut in half horizontally.
• Then slice vertically into very thin strips.
• Add these to the bowl and toss everything together until well mixed.
• Set aside for at least one hour, stirring occasionally (this can be marinated for up to 8 hours, but refrigerate if marinating for longer than 2 hours).
• Transfer to a serving bowl.
• Sprinkle cilantro (if used) and peanuts over top.

THAI CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Toss the cucumbers with the salt in a colander, and leave in the sink to drain for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water, then drain and pat dry with paper towels.
• Whisk together the sugar and vinegar in a mixing bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cucumbers, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro; toss to combine. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top before serving.