Spicy Cucumbers With Mint, Scallions and Crushed Peanuts
Updated Sept. 30, 2024
- Total Time
- 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ chilling
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 3tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1tablespoon palm sugar or dark brown sugar
- 2teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2teaspoons fish sauce
- 2small Thai chiles (not bird’s-eye), very thinly sliced, or substitute 1 serrano chile
- 1Fresno chile, thinly sliced crosswise
- 1pound cucumber, preferably Persian, sliced ¼ inch thick
- 3 or 4scallions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced on a long bias
- Salt
- ¼cup fresh mint leaves, some whole, some torn
- ¼cup small basil leaves (preferably Thai or cinnamon basil)
- 2tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
- ⅓cup salted peanuts, crushed using a rolling pin or mortar
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
89 calories; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 277 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the dressing: Put lime juice and sugar in a small bowl. Stir to combine, allowing sugar to dissolve. Stir in sesame oil and fish sauce. Add the Thai and Fresno chiles. Set aside.
- Step 2
Put cucumbers and scallions in a serving bowl. Sprinkle very lightly with salt and toss. Add the dressing and toss well to coat. Refrigerate to chill, about 30 minutes.
- Step 3
Top with mint, basil and cilantro. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts.
Private Notes
Comments
Excellent salad - goes very well with salmon, tuna and chicken. Crunchy and extremely flavorful. Don't skimp on the fresh herbs - and do try to find Thai basil if available. If someone you're serving has the cilantro-soap gene, cilantro can be omitted, and the salad is still wonderful provided you use plenty of mint and basil. Can add other veggies if desired, such as red cabbage, carrots and radishes. So fresh and delicious, as well as beautiful when serving. This is a winner!
Delicious fresh salad. Don’t skimp on the herbs and used a Fresno chili which was perfect for my palate and my guests. I used have in the dressing and half sliced thinly with the cucumbers. The herbs are essential for the salad. I added a splash of rice wine vinegar to the dressing because it needed a bit more acid for me. Also added some toasted sesame seeds to the salad because - well I just liked the look of them. My guests loved the salad. This is a keeper.
I didn't have all the ingredients so I replaced the peanuts with cashews, replaced the scallions with a small clove of garlic, and used only mint - no basil or cilantro. Used whatever chiles I had on hand - a jalapeño and some mystery purple thai chilies. THIS WAS THE MOST DELICIOUS CUCUMBER SALAD I'VE EVER EATEN. In fact, it was up there in the top ten most delicious foods I can remember eating EVER. Obsessed.
This dressing sans peppers (sesame oil, lime, fish, br sugar) is downright drinkable. Seems it could only bring joy to any dish, not just cukes. Absolute YUM.
Amazing salad. Careful with the Thai Chilis… loved the flavor but definitely brought the heat (good!).
Delicious. Cooling yet spicy! The peanuts are extra special. I used jalapenos in the cowboy candy because I forgot to buy chiles and, because basil is horribly expensive and it's too early to have it in the garden, I used tubed basil. It was wonderful and nicely took the edge off the even hotter honey-basalmic salmon which it accompanied. I'll wait a month and try it again with fresh basil and the appropriate chiles; I suspect it will taste a teeny bit better and look much brighter!