Spicy Spiral Cucumber Salad
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus 30 minutes waiting time
Cooking time: 0 minutes
Serves: 4 as a side dish
- 250g/8.8ozs baby cucumbers
- 2 teaspoons salt flakes
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons caster or superfine sugar
- 1 tablespoon chilli oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
- 1 small chilli, finely diced
Step 1 - Firstly cut the cucumbers spiral style. Take each baby cucumber and cut through almost to the base on a diagonal. What helps is having chopsticks on each side to prevent it cutting through. Then flip the cucumber over and then cut vertically. The cucumber should now be able to be pulled in and out like an accordion.
Step 2 - Sprinkle salt flakes over the cucumbers and let sit for 30-60 minutes. Meanwhile mix the garlic, ginger, vinegar, sugar, chilli oil, sesame oil, sesame seeds and chilli together. Drain the extra water from salting the cucumber and pour over the chilli mixture and mix.
Personal Note
I took this cucumber salad to Monica's house for New Year's Eve (which seems like so long ago although it was only a week and a half ago!). What did you do for New Years Eve? We all wanted something that didn't stand on too much ceremony because New Year's is probably my least favourite occasion that has such a build up to it and rarely delivers. Jarringly, it also comes right during my favourite period of the year, that unknown period between Christmas and New Year's where nobody expects anything of us and you have no idea what day it is.
I got dressed up because I love any chance to do so. Monica and I laughed when we saw each other because she was wearing a gnocchi tshirt and prawn pants. Despite our very different fashion styles we are such good friends. Monica made some delicious toro tuna and salmon tiradito and then cooked some pork belly and wagyu on the binchotan and we wrapped these up and ate them in crisp nori squares and shiso leaves with dipping sauces.
We brought a couple of bottles of champagne, this cucumber salad and Tipsy Cake dessert. After that Mr NQN and I ended up in bed by 11pm. Mr NQN was asleep by the time that midnight rolled around and I woke up him up to wish him a Happy New Year. It was a lovely low key New Year's Eve that we sort of snuck up to because we didn't want to scare it!
So tell me Dear Reader, how did you see NYE in? What do you think 2023 will hold? And do you like getting dressed up or are you more casual?