Sides and Salads Recipes - Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cucumbers

• 30ml/2 tbsp sugar

• 100ml/1/2 cup rice vinegar

• juice of half a lime

• 2 green Thai chilies, seeded and finely sliced

• 2 shallots, halved and finely sliced

• 1 small bunch each fresh coriander (cilantro) and mint, stalks removed, leaves finely chopped

• salt

• fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

Serves 4-6

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Method:

1. Use a vegetable peeler to remove strips of the cucumber peel. Halve the cucumbers lengthways and cut into slices.

2. Place the slices on a plate and sprinkle with a little salt. Leave them to stand for 15 minutes.

3. Put the cucumber slices in a colander, rinse off the salt under cold running water, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper.

4. In a bowl, mix the sugar with the vinegar until it has dissolved, then stir in the lime juice and a little salt to taste.

5. Add the chilies, shallots, herbs and cucumber to the dressing and leave to stand for 15-20 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and a flower, if you like.

This salad is a great addition to a summer barbecue or the salad table, and is a delightful accompaniment to any meat, poultry and seafood dishes. The best cucumbers to use here are the short, fat Asian ones.

Cook's Tips: To add a dash of exotic color to this favor some salad, decorate the dish with edible flowers, such as nasturtiums, or blue borage blossoms.  If you can only find an English salad cucumber, opt for a single, medium-sized one.