Thai Cucumber Salad from Nong’s Thai Kitchen

Who would have thought that dousing raw cucumber slices in spicy syrup would be a good a idea?

Thai people, apparently.

This simple salad is a good way to simultaneously feel healthy and pander to your sweet tooth. The recipe is from Nong’s Thai Kitchen: 84 Classic Recipes that are Quick, Healthy and Delicious, a beautifully illustrated guide to Thai cuisine that neither calls for industrial strength mortar and pestles nor impossible-to-find ingredients.

Serve it with sticky rice and grilled chicken and you’ll feel like you’re (back?) in Thailand.

Fresh Thai Cucumber Salad

1/3 cup palm sugar (I grate it from palm sugar discs I find at South Asian grocery and health food stores)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 English cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced into 1/8″ rounds
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 diced fresh red chile pepper
5 sprigs cilantro, chopped (about 1/3 cup?)
2 leaves mint, thinly sliced (optional – don’t go buy a whole bunch of mint just for a few sprigs. The cilantro is key though)
2 tbsp toasted peanuts

Combine sugar, salt and vingar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes, then remove from heat.  Let cool 5 minutes (or however much time it takes you to cut the cucumbers, shallots and chile pepper), then pour over cucumbers, shallots and red chile in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Garnish with the herbs and peanuts, or stir them in, too.

The salad can be eaten right away but is tastier if left to marinate for at least 30 minutes. It’s even better on days two and three.