Asian Cucumber Salad

I had a simple Cucumber & Sweet Onion Salad tonight. I’m not sure I think of it as a “salad,” but I’ve grown up with it since I was a child. My Aunt Sis made it, and it is so simple: sweet onion, cucumber (with or without the skins), vinegar & sugar (or in my case now, sweetener). Maybe a little salt would cause the flavors to “pop.”

*I’m not sure of what kind of onion my aunt used, because we didn’t grow up with Vidalia onions, and “sweet” onions only came along after the Vidalia became popular. My guess is that the “sweet onions” don’t take the name Vidalia because they aren’t grown in the “Vidalia” region of Georgia much like certain wines or chesses can’t take on a specific name because they don’t come from a specific region of France, or Italy, or elsewhere. *Now that I think of it, we didn’t grow up with English Cucumbers either, but I don’t recall regular cucumbers as being as bitter as they now are.

But then I came upon an Asian Cucumber Salad online that piqued my interest. So much so that, I got up and made a test sample to see if it would have a distinct flavor… and boy, IT DID!

First, you’ve got to know that I’ve fallen in love with the flavor of “Spicy Chili Crisp.” I found this while looking for something to add to my Stir-Fries, as a “change-up” flavor. It is about the cheapest chili oil that you can find, and it only costs about $5 at Walmart. And I like it just from the jar. It has an earthy flavor.

My version:

INGREDIENTS

English Cucumber
Spicy Chili Crisp
Toasted Sesame Oil
Red Wine Vinegar
Garlic Powder
Splenda Sweetener
Salt
Sesame Seeds
Romaine Lettuce (if you have it)

I’m thinking that this sauce would spiff up more than just cucumbers. Maybe Cannellini beans, or even green beans, or the two combined. Maybe this direction is based upon me thinking about a 3 Bean Salad, where beans are combined with vinegar & sweetener. Kidney beans & Garbanzos?

Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad

I have some pork chops that I think would go well with this Asian Cucumber Salad. Another thought, is using this sauce either on raw or roasted cauliflower. I’ve had something like this on roasted cauliflower, but I didn’t have the sweet vinegar. I think that is exactly what it would need. Oh wait, the roasted cauliflower had turmeric & garlic. I usually prefer sweet to savory flavors.

Spicy Asian Cabbage

I had steamed cabbage tonight and added Spicy Chili Crisp, sweetener, toasted sesame oil, and white sesame seeds. I may have liked these flavors together better than the Spicy Asian Cucumbers. I ate this with a pork chop that had agave nectar and some lime juice. I did not add soy sauce or vinegar, although that should be at least one taste test later on.

Yes, I do like the Asian seasonings with the steamed cabbage. I have made this about three times and I like it each time. I’ve also tried “smashing” the cucumbers to provide more surface area for the sauce to stick to. After I smash them, I sprinkle on some salt and set it in the fridge. After a while I pour off the liquid that has leached from the cucumbers and then add the Asian seasonings.