Make Ahead

Spicy Cucumber Quick Pickles

by:
June 10, 2010
4.7
3 Ratings
  • Prep time 25 minutes
  • Makes about 3 cups
Author Notes

Due to a surplus of home-grown cucumbers, my mom always had a giant vat of quick-pickles in the refrigerator. It doubled as a quick side dish/salad in a pinch, and always reminds me of summer. My version has some different flavors - lots of garlic, some soy sauce, and a hint of spice. - apartmentcooker —Erin Jeanne McDowell

Test Kitchen Notes

Apartmentcooker's quick pickles are a delightful Asian-inspired break from traditional kosher dills. Sour, salty and sweet are in a very agreeable balance, and the dose of red curry lends to a sneaky, but comfortable, dose of spiciness that catches you at the end of each bite. We enjoyed this pickle alongside sesame rice noodles, with lots of fresh cilantro. If you prefer a lot of crunch, consider slicing your cucumbers just a tad thicker than suggested. - Jennifer Ann —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (6 g)
  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar (80 g)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (25 g)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (16 g)
  • 1 teaspoon red curry paste (22 g)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (10 g)
  • 1 carrot, julienne (55 g)
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced (170 g)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped (12 g)
Directions
  1. In a colander, toss the cucumber slices with the salt. Let sit for 15-20 minutes. Squeeze the cucumebers gently to remove excess liquid.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, curry paste, and garlic. Add the cucumbers, carrots, and onions and toss to combine.
  3. Refrigerate the mixture, and let sit, tossing occasionally for at least 2 hours and up to 2-3 days. The mixture will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days - the flavor will continue to intensify as it sits. When ready to eat, add the cilantro and toss to combine.
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Erin Jeanne McDowell
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!

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2 Reviews

cookinalong
cookinalong August 4, 2013
This sounds interesting, but I wonder about the quantity of cucumber. The yield for the recipe is given as @ 3 cups, but calls for only 1/2 of a cucumber. Even with an onion and a carrot, that seems a bit off. Did you mean 1 or 2 cucumbers?
 
TheWimpyVegetarian
TheWimpyVegetarian June 11, 2010
Sounds really interesting. I love spicy things, so I'll need to try this - thanks for posting!