Spicy Cucumber Salad with Chilli and Peanuts

Spicy cucumber salad with tomato, peanuts and fresh chilli peppers is the perfect quick and easy side dish for a whole host of dishes.

If your peanuts are already tasted this recipe involves no cooking and all of the ingredients can be prepared whilst you are salting the cucumber.

Salted Cucumber Salad

Cucumber is a much-maligned vegetable. There is a seemingly even split between detractors who believe that they either taste of nothing or are simply disgusting.

Well, I am not detractor, I love them and my wife orders pickled cucumber every time we eat out.

This spicy cucumber salad takes the approach of salting the cucumbers before creating the salad. Cucumber has an incredibly high water content, around 95% of their weight is water.

As a result of this, it ain’t a great vehicle for flavour.

Now salt is like a magnet for water, salting the cucumber draws out this water. Giving a good squeeze reduces the water and helps maximise the cucumber flavour in this salad.

Whilst the cucumber is salting a few simple ingredients are chopped and a delicious dressing is made.

Then al you need to do is toss it all together and you are ready to serve, and no, there ain’t any cooking!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use a mandolin?

No not at all, you can slice the cucumbers my hand, it will take a little longer, but not too long.

Why do you salt the cucumber?

Cucumbers are packed to the gunnels with water, salting them helps draw out the moisture and leaves you with a perfectly seasoned essence of cucumber.

Be sure not to allow the cucumber to sit longer than 15 minutes because it will become too salty.

What type of chilli should I use?

I almost always leave the question of the type of chilli I use in my recipes to you.

People’s tolerance to the heat of chilli varies wildly and one persons raging inferno is a mild tickle to others.

Use a type of chilli that you are comfortable with.

Can I use a different type of vinegar?

Yes definitely, you could use white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar, you could even give the dish an “Asian” vibe with some rice vinegar.

Serving Suggestions

This spicy cucumber salad is wonderfully diverse and it sits well alongside a whole host of dishes.

It features an apple cider vinaigrette that is sweet yet sour but “neutral enough” to sit perfectly with a host of international dishes.

The picture above shows it pictured with a glorious Indian-style Salmon Tikka.

But you can shift cuisines with this really easily, it is utterly delicious with my Chinese Blackened Pork Belly and I regularly serve it with my pork satay recipe.

But oh no we are not only playing around with Asian flavours! This cucumber salad works perfectly with classic European flavours too.

You could even go North African, this would be fab with my Moroccan harissa meatballs.

I have piled it onto my duck burger when cherries are in short supply and it is stunning with pan-fried salmon.

And if you are vegetarian then how about treating yourself to this vegetable wellington. A slice of it would be perfect served with a delicious pile of this cucumber salad.

Equipment Used

I only namecheck brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Mandolin. This is optional but it really helps get perfectly sliced cucumber in no time. Please ensure that you use the guard to protect your fingers!
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
• Jar to mix the dressing. You could use a mixing bowl and whisk if you wish.
• Colander or sieve.
• Mixing bowls.