Cucumber and Poppy Seed Salad

The other day, I made this delicious curry dish, and wanted a little something cool to serve with it. This recipe for Cucumber and Poppy Seed Salad was just the trick. Though it's not a Thai dish, it reminded me of the Thai cucumber salad I love, but that takes a while to prepare.

Of course I used English cucumbers. That's the only kind that grow here. You might use your plain old American cukes if you have them, or whatever is growing in your garden. (My garden is currently serving geraniums, dahlias, and fuschias. I don't recommend them for dinner.)

This dish takes about 15 minutes to prepare. Here's how:

Cucumber and Poppy Seed Salad

1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
1 red chile, minced
2 tablespoons cilantro (coriander), chopped
2-3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons canola (rapeseed) oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
salt, to taste

Slice the cucumber into 1/4 inch slices. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the cucumber slices. Stir to combine. Taste, and add more vinegar if you think it needs it.

Note: Cilantro, also known as coriander, is easy to chop if you place the leaves in a small bowl and scissor through the leaves with kitchen shears.

Comments

[Meryl]

Yummy--I'm going to have to try this one!