Author Notes
Temper the heat of spicy foods with a cooling cucumber salad. —garlic and zest
Ingredients
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1
hothouse cucumber or 2 large kirby cucumbers
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pinch of salt
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1
knob of ginger (about 2 inches), peeled
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1
clove garlic, minced
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1 teaspoon
sugar
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1 tablespoon
unseasoned rice wine vinegar
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zest and juice of one lime
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2 tablespoons
canola oil
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1 teaspoon
sesame oil
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1/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
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1/8 teaspoon
ground pepper
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1/4 cup
very thinly sliced red onion
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1/2 teaspoon
toasted sesame seeds
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1/2 teaspoon
black sesame seeds
Directions
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Peel the cucumber and cut into 4" pieces. Grate the outer flesh of the cucumber on the large grates of a box grater -- stop when you reach the cylinder of seeds in the center and rotate to a fleshier portion. Discard the seeds.
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Transfer the cucumber to a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Transfer the shredded cucumber to the strainer and sprinkle with salt. Set aside.
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On the small grates of the box grater, grate the knob of ginger. Scrape all of the ginger pulp into your (clean) hand and hold your hand over a small bowl. Squeeze the juice out of the ginger pulp - you should get about 1 1/2 teaspoons of ginger juice. Discard the pulp.
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To the ginger juice, add garlic, sugar, rice wine vinegar, canola oil, sesame oil, lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
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Press on the cucumber to remove most of the cucumber juice. Discard the juice. Transfer the shredded cucumber to the bowl and add the sliced onion and sesame seeds. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing (you'll have leftovers - which can be used on another salad) and toss to combine. Serve.
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