This fresh and crunchy Thai cucumber salad adapted from Food & Wine is one of my favorite summer recipes. The juice from the cucumbers seeps into the tangy and sweet dressing, giving it a refreshing cucumber flavor, while the peanuts add protein and crunch. The salad is satisfying on its own for lunch; it also pairs nicely with my Grilled Thai Curry Chicken, Honey Lime Sriracha Chicken, or any simply grilled meat or fish dish.
What You’ll Need to Make Thai Cucumber Salad With Peanuts
- The recipe calls for English/hothouse cucumbers, long, slender cukes with tender skin and tiny seeds. They’re a little pricier than garden variety cukes, but you can usually find them on sale in packs of three. Happily, they don’t need to be peeled, as they aren’t treated with a wax coating like the regular cucumbers.
- Fish sauce is a salty, savory condiment often used in East Asian cuisine. It has a pungent smell, but when used in moderation, it adds rich umami flavor to sauces, marinades, and salad dressings. You can find it in the Asian food section of most supermarkets.
- Use good quality Virginia peanuts if you can find them. Grown primarily in Virginia (but also in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas), Virginia peanuts are large in size, flavorful, and extra crunchy. They are often referred to as “ballpark peanuts” because they are the kind sold at baseball games.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by placing the red onions in a bowl of cold water. Let them soak while you prepare the rest of the ingredients — this will mellow them out and rid them of that sharp, raw onion taste.
Courtesy of Jenn Segal
Next, seed the cucumbers by cutting the cucumbers it in half lengthwise and scooping out the seeds and the pulpy matter with a teaspoon.
Courtesy of Jenn Segal
Make the dressing by combining the lime juice, oil, fish sauce, sugar and garlic in a medium bowl.
Courtesy of Jenn Segal
Drain the onions, then add the sliced cucumbers, minced jalapeño, cilantro and peanuts to the bowl with the dressing.
Courtesy of Jenn Segal
Add the salad ingredients to the dressing and toss to combine.
Courtesy of Jenn Segal
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By Jennifer Segal Adapted from Food & WineServings: 4 Total Time: 20 Minutes
For the Salad
- 1/2 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
- 2 large English cucumbers, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
- 1/3 cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup salted peanuts
- 1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (or use 1 to 2 Thai chiles for more heat)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, oil, fish sauce, sugar, and garlic.
Add the drained red onions, cucumbers, cilantro, peanuts, and jalapeño pepper to the dressing. Taste and add the salt if necessary.
Serve the salad within 30 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Per serving (4 servings)
Calories: 238
Fat: 16g
Saturated fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 21g
Sugar: 12g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 6g
Sodium: 660mg
Cholesterol: 0mg
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you’re following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
This article was originally published on OnceUponaChef.com
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