This salad is the best of both worlds for me. Cucumbers and limes which are so refreshing and cooling against the backdrop of the slight bite from the chilies. My taste buds just do a happy dance when I eat this. The utter simplicity of this salad with just a few ingredients; a hit of citrus, toasted peanuts and an exotic touch of slivered coconut – transforms this ordinary cucumber salad into a complex and layered salad. This recipe has been Adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor's Cucumber Salad {Khamang Kakdi) in How to Cook Indian. Published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang, April 2011.
Serve 4
Ingredients
3 medium cucumbers, partially peeledDirections
1 green serrano chile, stemmed and minced
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted
1/3 cup dried large-flake coconut, toasted
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon natural cane sugar
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
scant 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
a handful cilantro, chopped
- Halve the cucumbers lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and chop into1/4 inch cubes. Just before you're ready to serve, transfer to a mixing bowl and toss gently with chile, peanuts, coconut, lime juice, and sugar.
- Over medium heat, heat the oil in a small skillet and stir in
the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the cumin for 15-30 seconds – just long enough
to toast the spices. You'll know from the fragrance. Remove from heat, sprinkle
in the salt, and immediately stir this into the salad. Turn out onto a
patter topped with the cilantro.
