Ginger marinated cucumbers
Makes about 2 cups of sliced cucumbers
Cool and crisp, these marinated cucumbers are light shortcut pickles that add refreshing contrast to any rich Asian meal. Lightly seasoned, chilled cucumbers like these are a traditional companion to char sui grilled foods and are a breeze to make while Barbecued Five Spice Seitan is roasting.
Tip: To grate ginger, peel using a vegetable peeler or scraping with the edge of a spoon. A microplane grater makes good finely grated ginger, or look for a specialty ginger grater tool if you’re dead serious about grating ginger.
Tip: Seedless English cucumbers are best in this recipe, but any variety works using the simple seed scooping method below.
- 1/2 pound cucumbers
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoons sugar
- 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
Garnish
- 2 scallions, green parts only, sliced as thin as possible
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1. Use a vegetable peeler to scrap off the cucumber skin and slice in half lengthwise. Use a rounded 1 teaspoon measuring spoon and scrap it down the center of the cut side of the cucumbers to scoop out the seeds and pulp; use a smaller measuring spoon if the cucumbers are especially small. Slice cucumber halves into thin 1/4 inch slices; the slices should look like fat letter “c”s. Toss slices with ginger, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt and seal in a glass or plastic container. Chill for 20 minutes before serving, occasionally shaking the container to stir around the juices.
2. To serve, spoon cucumbers on a serving dish. Garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
Variations:
-Toss in 2 tablespoons of dried goji berries (also called wolf berries) along with the cucumbers. Marinate for 30 minutes to allow the berries to plump slightly.
This fast method is great for all kinds of tender vegetables for fast, faux pickles. In place of cucumbers, try using the following. Or make a blend of a few vegetables (and fruits).
- -Daikon, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
- -Japanese salad turnips, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
- -Asian pear. Leave unpeeled, remove core and slice into quarters. Slice each quarter into thins 1/4 inch slices.
- -Carrots, peeled and cut or shredded on a mandolin into matchsticks
