$1 Wednesday?: Spicy Cucumber - Qiang Huang Gua

OK, so you may never read mmm-yoso again after this recipe.... The Missus and I were shopping at Zion Market, when I noticed good quality English Cucumbers priced at 2 for a buck! Suddenly the idea I had of doing a silly 3 dollar Thursday had gotten even better. I could try to bring this in at under a buck. Again I chose a recipe from Land of Plenty. And just like my Pan Fried Perilla with Cucumber recipe, I again stir fried cucumber(ever so briefly). I realize stir-frying cucumber may sounds strange to most folks, I know it was to me. I distinctly remember the first time I dug to the bottom of a wonderful hot pot, only to bring up a translucent mass of wilted iceberg lettuce. Over the years I've gotten used to it, and in many cases really enjoy vegetables that I ate raw growing up cooked. And those who really can't even think about eating a warm piece of cucumber, don't worry, you'll eat this dish the day after making it, chilled.

This recipe is so easy, and without nature's warning color, the bright and blazing red to warn you, the dish looks fairly benign, but it can be pretty "mala" (numbing hot).

 

Like most recipes, I've made a few adjustments to suit my taste, and I'm sure you'll do the same if you try this recipe out. I added some Clear Chinese Rice Vinegar and sugar, to help round out the rather straight-forward numbing-heat. I also found that due to the rather uncomplicated flavor of the dish, peanut oil should be used. This dish also uses whole Sichuan Peppercorn. Lastly, is this really a $1 dish....well, you figure it out, 50 cent cucumber plus ingredients, all of which I had in my pantry. I guess if cucumbers weren't on sale, it might be a 2 dollar Tuesday, or something like that.

Spicy Cucumber Salad

1 large English Cucumber
2 Tb kosher salt
2 Tb Peanut oil
6-8 Dried Red Chilies, with the top snipped and seeds removed
2 tsp whole Sichuan Pepper(not roasted)
1 tsp Clear Chinese Rice Wine
1/2 tsp white sugar
2 tsp Sesame Oil

- Peel the cucumber and slice into 2 - 2 1/2 inch lengths, Cut in half lengthwise, and remove seeds. Cut into quarters, than eighths lengthwise, into a baton shape. Place cucumbers into a colander set over a bowl and add salt. Mix well, and set aside for at least 2 hours to draw moisture out of the cucumber..
- After the salting period is complete, shake the cucumber and drain well. Dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
- Heat a wok over high heat until smoking. Add the peanut oil, and swirl to cure the wok. Add dried red chilies and Sichuan Peppercorn and turn the heat to medium. When the chilies are scalded and fragrant add the cucumber.
- Stir fry the cucumber for a few seconds, add vinegar and sugar, and stir to coat, and dissolve sugar.This process should not last for more than 10-12 seconds. Do not brown the cucumbers.
- Remove the cucumber from heat, add sesame oil, and remove to a container. When the dish has cooled, place into the refrigerator overnight.

You can eat this like any cold dish or pickle.

Comments

[Lynnea]

Sounds good, but very spicy. Does the cucumber temper the chilies and pepper? I remember the first time I cooked cucumber for an old fashioned cucumber soup recipe, it seemed strange but tasted great once it was all chilled.

[Trent]

I just love these veg. recipes, but I must plead with you not to further increase the traffic at Zion. Stop the insanity!

[kat]

Sounds delicious.

[Hannah J]

Those look crazy spicy... I couldnt even step in the same room as that... lol!!

I wanted to thank you for encouraging me to eat food out of my norm... Yesterday, I took a friend to Yum Cha cafe and I tried chicken feet...!! It didn't taste like I expected- yucky- but like boney fat. Hahaha. The couple next to me leaned over and told me I was very bold for trying something like that.... Hahaha!!

[Kirk]

Hi Lynnea - The cucumber does add a nice cleansing flavor.

Hi Trent - I just can't believe some of the prices at Zion. And yes, the place is getting more and more crowded.

Hi Kat - Yes, it's pretty good.

Hi Hannah - I'm glad you tried chicken feet! You are much bolder than most folks. Thanks for letting me know, I appreciate it.

[Janfrederick]

Did you use your Big Kahuna?

I got the other Eastman burner that you suggested, and to my pleasant surprise, it is designed to hold either a large pot or a wok. And my wok fits nicely. There was NO WAY I was going to settle for 56,000 BTU when I could have 65,000 (I'm a guy after all!) ;)

[Carol]

I bet those cucumbers would go really well with a plate full of kalbi!

[Kirk]

Hi Jan - LOL! That extra 9k BTUs are so very important, right? No this one was on the stove....I probably wuld have incinerated the cukes in 3 seconds.

Hi Carol - The numbing effect of the Sichuan Peppercorns would be interesting......

[Bobierto]

Re chicken feet ... we were in Nha Trang, Vietnam, last year, eating in a local place. They were bending over backward helping us white guys out ... We pointed to something that looked good at someone else's table, and they pointed to "Fried Chicken Legs" in the menu. (Someone had hand-written English translations next to each entry in a menu they kept behind the counter.) So out from the kitchen came a big platter of fried chicken FEET! Oh well ... they were pretty good! But we ended up getting sick as dogs from the ice in the beer - the beer girls were too fast for us to stop them from giving us ice, and we were too thirsty not to drink it.

[Kirk]

Hi Bobierto - You gotta watch the ice.... Here's one for you...if you're in Manila, they'll call chicken feet "Adidas".... The Missus loves chicken feet, but the jury is still out on duck tongue.

[jeff c]

Haha Kirk, I got beaten to the punch, I was going to ask you about your Big Kahuna for this dish.
The thing I love about Sichuan cooking is how they really do elevate simple vegetables with those spice combinations.

[Kirk]

Hi Jeffrey - Yes, you are right.....

[Jenne]

Hey Kirk, do you think this would work with cabbage? I have a really nice one that I got from my CSA.

Also, speaking of adventurous cooking, I had some leftover pumpkin from Ba Ren the other day, and I used it as filling for ravioli that I made out of wonton wrappers. I served them (by served, that is, I ate them standing up in the kitchen) with a brown butter sauce that had szechuan peppercorns in it.

Crazy, but tasty!

[Kirk]

Hi Jenne - I think the flavors in that dish would do well in ravioli...the sweet pupmkin, and the anise flavor leans toward pumpkin pie spice, nd the floral flavor of the Sichuan Peppercorns would pair well. Nice job....I'd probably have eaten it as fast as they could be made.