"Cooking" With Blobby

There is no cooking today.  

Slicing and mixing only. The only time consuming thing here is watching the cucumbers give up some of their moisture for 15 minutes. Other than that, you're done in like 10.  .....and that's if you're taking your time. 

Sometimes it's not all about the main dish. Side dishes aren't difficult, they're just not horribly original. It's still in the 80s (I mean it is only August), so why not do a cold side? 

Why not, indeed. 

Tuesdays are generally salmon night - as I've said, it's super easy to prepare after my Tuesday evening runs. It can cook while I shower and I finish up after I towel off. 

This side - Asian Cucumber Salad - I made prior to heading out for the run group. Ideally it sits for a few hours in the fridge for all the flavours to meld. 

And just to get it out of the way - the picture is inaccurate: I forget to get the scallions and maple syrup (yes, you read that correctly) in the picture. I also have red pepper flakes which I did not use. 

So this is easy, but let's get to it. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Turkish, Persian, or English cucumbers (about 5 cups sliced) 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

4–5 scallions, finely sliced 

1 teaspoon ginger, grated, more to taste 

1 fat garlic clove, grated, or finely minced 

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (or sub rice vinegar, see notes) 

1 tablespoon soy sauce (or substitute Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or Coconut Aminos) 

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (do not regular sesame oil) 

1 – 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or agave, honey, or sugar), more to taste, see note. 

1–2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (Sambal Olek) or sub sriracha, more to taste 

1–2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 

Instructions 

Score and Salt Cucumbers. Using the tines of a fork, score the cucumbers lengthwise- this will help the dressing cling to the cucumbers. Slice the cucumbers thinly and place them in a bowl, and toss with the salt (to help them draw out their liquid). Let this stand 10-15 minutes while you gather the remaining ingredients. Strain (but do not rinse). Combine. 

Place the strained cucumbers in a large bowl with scallions, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sweetener, garlic-chili paste, and toasted sesame seeds. Mix well. Season. Taste and adjust salt, sweetness, and spice level to your liking. Find the balance- see notes. 

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cucumber salad is best served on the same day but will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

They came out great. The cucumbers were still crisp yet absorbed the flavours. They certainly had an Asian edge, but with soy sauce and sesame how could they not. The sambal olek added just a bit of heat that you'd pick up here and there, but not with every bite and never overwhelming. 

As you can see, you might want to dish them up with a slotted spoon, but it was fine. The run-off paired well running into the salmon. And the dish paired nicely with the fish. 

I'd do these again in a heartbeat. 

Notes 

Flavor Balance. If your dressing tastes too acidic or sour, add more sweetener to taste. This will help balance it out. Rice Vinegar is more acidic than Rice Wine Vinegar. Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar is the least acidic and is sweetened. So, depending on what you are using, the amount of sweetener needed will change. 

I had Rice Vinegar it was fine. 

Toasted Sesame Oil– Tastes wonderfully smoky and nutty. It can go rancid pretty quickly, so store it in the fridge after you open it and make sure to smell it before using; it should smell pleasant. Regular sesame oil will not have the same flavor here, and I don’t recommend it. 

 I didn't have toasted sesame oil, just regular. I can't compare, but it didn't take away from anything that it wasn't toasted. 

Optional Additions (See variations in post body)- fish sauce, crushed roasted peanuts, Gochujang, cilantro or Thai Basil, red onions, peanut chili crunch, radishes

Peanuts and Thai basil would have been wonderful - had I had any.